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DOTTINGS  ROUND  THE  CIRCLE. 


BY 


BEXJAMIX    ROBBIXS   CURTIS. 


SECOND  EDITION. 


BOSTON: 

JAMES    ft.   OSGOOD    AND    COMPANY, 

Late  Tickxor  &  Fields,  and  Fields,  Osgood,  &  Co. 

1876. 


85039 


Copyright,  1S7G. 
By  JAMES   B.   OSGOOD  &  CO. 


University  Press:  Welch,  Bigelow,  &  Co., 
Cambridge. 


G  V 


TO 


ANDREW    FISKE, 

WHO    ACCOMPANIED    ME    IN   THE    MAJORITY    OF   THESE    WANDERINGS, 

I  Pcbicatc  t\)\&  journal, 

AS    A   TOKEN    OF    GRATITUDE    FOR   THE    CONTINUAL 

PLEASURE    HIS   COMPANIONSHIP 

AFFORDED    ME. 


PREFACE 


It  has  been  said  of  one  of  the  greatest  minds  that 
the  world  has  ever  produced,  that  "  he  dotted  round 
the  circle  of  human  knowledge."  With  all  due  mod- 
esty for  making  use  of  the  comparison,  I  offer  to  the 
public  these  "  Dottings,"  made  in  a  journey  around  the 
world. 

Starting  immediately  after  my  graduation  at  Harvard, 
I  set  out  upon  a  tour  of  the  world,  equipped  with  a 
X  large  number  of  desirable  letters  of  introduction.  By 
their  means  I  was  presented  to  some  of  the  prominent 
people  in  the  East,  and  by  their  kind  favor  I  was 
shown  what  was  deemed  by  them  worthy  of  notice. 

The  result  of  my  observations  I  now  lay  before  the 
public.  In  the  course  of  such  rapid  travel  it  cannot 
be  expected  that  any  deep  political  or  ethnical  investi- 
gations have  been  attempted.  I  simply  offer  a  pano- 
ramic picture  of  several  of  the  chief  countries  of  the 
world. 


vi  PREFACE. 

I  have  said  bat  little  ill  regard  to  my  wanderings  in 
Europe.  So  much  has  been  written  of  Italy  and  France 
and  England,  that  I  have  merely  noted  my  arrival  in 
the  different  cities,  and  the  impressions  I  derived  from 
the  most  important. 

If  I  can  interest  any  to  such  a  degree  that  they  will 
wish  to  see  for  themselves  these  wonders  of  the  world 
so  imperfectly  described,  I  shall  feel  happy  in  the 
thought  that  my  past  pleasure  will  be  experienced  afresh 
by  others. 

B.  R.  C. 

Boston,  October,  1>7<>. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

Page 

From  Boston  to  Salt  Lake  City 1 

Departure.  —  A  Sunday  at  Niagara  Falls.  —  Detroit.  — Chicago.  —St. 
Louis.  —  A  Freshet  on  the  Plains.  —  Denver.  —  Up  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains on  a  Cow-Catcher.  —  Central  City.  —  Idaho  Springs.  —  Chey- 
enne. —  Ogden.  —  Arrival  at  Salt  Lake  City. 


CHAPTER    II. 

From  Salt  Lake  City  to  the  Yosemite  Valley         ....       19 
Salt  Lake  City.  —  An  Interview  with  Brigham  Young.  —  A  Bath  in  the 
Great  Salt  Lake.  —  Ogden  to  Stockton.  —  Starting  for  the  Yosemite. 
—  Four  Days  on  the  Road. 

CHAPTER    III. 

From  the  Yosemite  Valley  to  the  Pacific  Ocean   ....      36 
Excursions  in  the  Yosemite.  —  Stockton  to  San  Francisco.  —  The  "  Chi- 
nese Quarter."  —  Embarkation  for  Japan. 

CHAPTER    IV. 

Across  the  Pacific  to  Japan 54 

TIk-  P.  M.  S.  S.  Co.'s  Great  Republic.  —  My  Fellow-Passengers.  —  The 
Long  Sea -Voyage.  —  Arrival  at  Yokohama. 

CHAPTER    V. 
From  Yokohama  to  Yrcno 68 

Yokohama.  —  A  Japanese  Theatre.  —  Inoshima.  —  Daibutsu.  —  Kama- 
kura.  —  Tin-  Railroad  to  Yedo. 


viii  CO.X  TEXTS. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

Yedo 87 

Description  of  the  City.  —  Shiba.  —  Atago  Yama.  —  Uyeno.  —  Asakusa. 

CHAPTER    VII. 

Yokohama  to  Shanghai 101 

Yokohama  to  Kobe.  — Osaka.  —  The  Inland  Sea.  — Across  the  Yellow 
Sea  to  China.  —  Shanghai.  —  "  Chin-chin-ing  the  Moon." 

CHAPTER    VIII. 

Shanghai  to  Per  in 115 

Shanghai  to  Che-foo.  —  A  Storm  in  the  Gulf  of  Pe-chi-li.  —  Tien-tsin. — 
( iverland  to  Pekin.  — A  Chinese  Inn.  — Arrival  at  the  Capital. 

CHAPTER    IX. 

Pekin  to  the  Great  Wall 130 

Consultations  with  the  Ministers.  —  Starting  for  the  Great  Wall.  —  The 
Bell  Temple.  — Wan-shou-san.  —  The  Ming  Tombs.  —The  Great  Wall. 

CHAPTER    X. 

Pekin 148 

The  City.  — The  Llama  Temples.  — The  Temple  of  Heaven. —Curio 
Street.  —  The  Imperial  College  and  Observatory. — The  Marble 
Bridge.  —  The  Roman  Catholic  Cathedrals. 

CHAPTER    XI. 

Pekin  to  Canton- 159 

Return  to  Shanghai.  —  Amoy.  —  Canton.  —  Buddhist  Temples  and 
other  Objects  of  Interest. 

CHAPTER    XII. 

Canton  to  Batavia 184 

Mai  ao.  Pan-tan  Gambling.  —  Hong  Kong.  —  Singapore.  — Crossing 
the  Equator.  —  Arrival  at  Batavia. 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

Jav  ^  to  Ceylon 200 

Batavia.  —  Buitenzorg.  --  An  Inland  Trip.  —  Embarkation  for  Ceylon. 
Arrival  at  Point  De  Galle. 


COX  TEXTS.  IX 

CHAPTER    XIV. 

Ceylon 210 

Point  De  Galle. — Colombo.  —  Kamly.  —  The  Royal  Apartments  on 
the  Serapis.  —  The  Preparation  of  the  Coffee-Berry. —  The  Prince 
of  Wales. 

CHAPTER    XV. 

Ceylon  to  Calcutta      222 

Negapatam.  —  Pondicherry.  —  Madras.  —  Masulipatam.  — Coconada.  — 
Vizagapatam.  —  Bimlipatam.  —  Gopolpore.  —  False  Point.  —  Dia- 
mond Harbor.  —  Arrival  at  Calcutta. 

CHAPTER    XVI. 

Calcutta  to  Benares 231 

Christmas  Eve  in  Calcutta.  —  Illumination  in  Honor  of  the  Prince  of 
Wales.  —  Benares.  — The  Ghats  and  Temples.  —  Burning  the  Dead. 

—  Sarnath. 

CHAPTER    XVII. 

Lucknow,  Cawnpore,  and  Delhi 250 

Lucknow.  —  The  Residency,  and  the  Mutiny  Days  of  1857.  — Curious 
Buildings.  — Cawnpore.  — Wheeler's  Entrenchment  and  the  Slaugh- 
ter Ghat.  —  Delhi.  —  The  Fort  and  Palace  of  the  Moguls.  —  The 
Jama  Musjid. — The  Kootub.  —  A  Xautch  Dance. — The  Story  of 
the  Siege. 

CHAPTER    XVIII. 
Agra  and  Bombay 283 

The  Taj  of  Agra.  —  The  Pearl  Mosque.  —  The  Fort.  —  The  Tomb  of 
Akbar  the  Great.  —  Bombay.  —  The  Tower  of  Silence.  —  The  Caves 
of  Elephanta.  —  Embarkation  for  Egypt. 

CHAPTER    XIX. 

Uv  the  I!ei>  Sea  to  Cairo 292 

Aden.  — Heat  on  the  Red  Sea.  —  Suez.  —  Across  the  Desert  to  Cairo. 

—  Egyptian  Mosques.  —  Excursion  to  the  Pyramids.  — The  Dancing 
Dervishes.  —  Arrival  at  Alexandria. 

CHAPTER    XX. 

Alexandria  to  Florence 310 

Alexandria.  -    Pompey's  Pillar.     I  lleopal  ra's  Needle.  —  The  <  latacombs, 

—  Across  the  Mediterranean  to  Brindisi.  — Arrival  at  Florence. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTEK    XXI. 
Italy  to  France 315 

Florence.  —  Naples.  —  Rome.  —  Venice.  —  Milan.  — Turin.  —  Arrival 
at  Paris. 

CHAPTER    XXII. 

Paris,  London,  and  Boston 323 

Notes  "ii  Paris  ami  the  French.  — Arrival  in  London.  — Embarkation 
at  Liverpool.  —  The  Cunard  Steamship  Russia.  —  New  York  to 
Boston. 


DOTTINGS  ROUND  THE  CIRCLE. 


CHAPTER    I. 

FROM  BOSTON  TO  SALT  LAKE  CITY. 

Departure. — A  Sunday  at  Niagara  Falls. —  Detroit.  —  Chicago. — 
St.  Louis.  —  A  Freshet  on  the  Plains. — Denver. — -Up  the  Rocky 
Mountains  on  a  Cow-Catcher.  —  Central  City.  —  Idaho  Springs. — 
Cheyenne. — Ogden.  —  Arrival  at  Salt  Lake  City. 

1875,  June  30.  —  Leaving  Boston  at  9  p.  M.  (by  the  Boston 
and  Albany  Bailroad),  I  reach  New  York  City  at  half  past 
five  o'clock  the  next  morning. 

July  3.  —  After  spending  two  days  in  New  York  City  and 
vicinity,  I  leave  the  Grand  Central  Depot  at  10  a.  m.  (by  the 
Hudson  River  Bailroad)  for  Albany,  where  I  have  agreed  to 

meet  F ,  my  college  classmate  and  travelling  companion. 

The  weather  is  fine,  but  decidedly  warm  ;  but  in  spite  of 
this,  the  journey  along  the  bank  of  the  Hudson  is  full  of 
interest.  The  mountains  rising  from  the  opposite  shore  of  the 
river,  covered  with  a  delicate  bluish  haze,  look  picturesque 
and  refreshingly  cool;  while  the  different  steamers  passing  up 
and  down,  with  here  and  there  a  sail-boat  for  variety,  keep 
the    eve   continually   occupied.      We    reach    Albany    at    two 


DOTTING S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 


o'clock,  ami  I  find  I  have  an  hour  to  wait  before  the  "special 
express "  on  which  F is  coming  will  arrive  from  Bos- 
ton.     The   time   passes   quickly    by,   and    promptly   at   three 

o'clock   the    "special"   appears,  with  F standing   on   the 

platform  of  the  front  car,  waving  his  hat  joyously.  Soon  after 
this  we  start  for  Niagara  Falls  via  Rochester.  Of  course 
we  have  the  traditional  wedding  couple  on  board;  and  of 
course  the  gentleman  alights  at  every  third  station,  eager  to 
pour  the  entire  contents  of  the  refreshment-table  into  his 
wile's  lap.  As  evening  draws  on  (of  course)  the  lady,  be- 
coming weary,  rests  her  head  lovingly  and  confidingly  on  her 
husband's  shoulder,  and,  with  his  arm  encircling  her,  they 
sit  absorbed  in  themselves,  forgetful  of  the  outside  world; 
while  (of  course)  all  the  other  passengers  regard  them  with 
looks  of  half-pitying  contempt.  The  train  stops  at  Utica  for 
supper,  and  we  are  sunn  again  on  our  way.  A  grand  railroad 
this  New  York  Central,  with  its  four  broad  tracks,  its  com- 
fortable cars,  its  powerful  engines,  and  its  numberless  trains! 
We  an-  rushing  continually  on,  through  broad  cultivated  fields 
st retelling  away  into  the  distance,  past  populous  towns  and 
cities,  or,  now  leaving  civilization  for  a  time,  we  plunge  into 
a  thick  wood,  or  dash  round  a  sharp  cutting  in  the  rocks, 
and  stop  suddenly  at  some  manufacturing  village,  whose  in- 
habitants all  turn  out  to  give  us  a  welcome.  At  10.30  P.  M. 
we  reach  Rochester,  and  here  we  must  change  cars  for  Niagara 
Fdls.     At  '1  A.  M.  we  arrive  at  our  destination,  and  are  shown 


FROM  BOSTON   TO   SALT  LAKE    CITY.  3 

to  very  comfortable  rooms  by  the  sleepy-looking  clerk  of  the 
International,  and,  lulled  by  the  ceaseless  roar  of  the  Falls, 
I  drift  into  unconsciousness,  thinking  what  a  great  State  New 
York  is,  in  which  one  can  travel  by  express-train  from  ten 
o'clock  one  morning  to  two  o'clock  of  the  following,  without 
leaving  its  limits. 

July  4-  —  The  ninety-ninth  anniversary  of  our  country's  in- 
dependence, though  falling  on  a  Sunday,  is  here  ushered  in 
by  ringing  of  bells  and  an  occasional  fire-cracker;  the  younger 
portion  of  the  community,  however,  evidently  reserving  itself 

for  the  morrow.      After  breakfast  F and  I  start   on   foot 

for  the  Falls,  successfully  and  completely  routing  the  continu- 
ous attacks  of  the  hackmen  and  guides  by  my  truthful  reply, 
"  I  have  been  here  before,"  which  stops  each  one's  impor- 
tunities, and  apparently  affects  them  as  the  sign  of  the  cross 
does  the  Evil  One.  After  wandering  through  Prospect  Park 
we  descend  by  the  inclined  railroad,  and  are  ferried  across 
the  river  to  the  Canada  side  by  a  remarkably  muscular  Charon 
of  French  descent.  Two  wedded  couples  accompany  us ;  and 
when  our  little  boat  has  reached  the  middle  of  the  stream, 
the  mighty  roaring  cataract  above  us,  the  clouds  of  rising 
spray,  and  the  swiftly  flowing  river  give  great  alarm  to  the 
ladies,  and  enable  the  husbands  to  exhibit  themselves  in  the 
ino-i  heroic  aspects.  On  the  Canada  side  we  are  surrounded 
by  traders  of  all  kinds;  but  we  have  been  wisely  warned  against 
purchasing,  as  a  heavy  duty  is  exacted  by  the  United  States 


DOTTIXGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


authorities  as  soon  as  the  article  purchased  is  carried  over 
the  border.  Indeed,  one  gentleman  got  thus  into  quite  a  se- 
rious difficulty;  for  having  bought  a  tablecloth  at  a  Canadian 
store,  he  was  charged  a  large  per  cent  by  the  United  States 
customs  officers ;  and,  not  deeming  it  worth  such  an  additional 
sum,  he  was  returning  with  it  to  the  shop  where  he  had  pur- 
chased it,  when  he  was  halted  on  the  other  side  by  the  Cana- 
dian officials,  who  declared  that  it  was  a  product  of  the  United 
States,  and  requested  him  to  deposit  the  usual  duty  before 
bringing  it  into  their  country.  The  gentleman,  however,  suc- 
ceeded in  convincing  them  that  he  had  bought  it  in  Canada, 
and  he  returned  it  to  its  original  owner,  declaring  that  he 
wanted  to  have  nothing  further  to  do  with  the  ill-fated  article. 
After  wandering  along  the  Canadian  side,  we  return  by  the 
new  suspension-bridge,  and,  after  an  afternoon  passed  in  quiet, 
seek  sleep  to  prepare  us  for  the  journey  of  the  morrow. 

July  5.  —  "We  leave  Niagara  Falls  at  1  p.  m.  by  the  Michi- 
gan Central  and  Great  "Western  Railroad,  and,  after  a  some- 
what tedious  and  rather  uninteresting  day's  journey,  we  arrive 
in  Detroit  at  10  P.  M.,  and  drive  at  once  to  the  Paissell 
House  for  the  night  To-day  we  made  our  first  trial  of  a 
"hotel-car";  and  although  the  dinner  is  hot  and  the  food  well 
cooked  and  of  good  quality,  still  the  dust  and  cinders  pretty 
effectually  spoil  the  repast;  for,  as  the  kitchen  occupies  a 
large  share  of  these  hotel-cars,  it  is  almost  impossible  to  keep 
the  windows  closed. 


FROM  BOSTON   TO   SALT  LAKE   CITY.  5 

July  6.  —  As  Detroit  is  familiar  to  one  of  us,  and  as  we 
are  obliged  to  be  in  San  Francisco  by  August  1  to  take  the 
steamer  for  Japan,  and  as  there  are,  moreover,  many  new 
[daces  which  we  wish  to  visit  on  the  way,  we  decide  to 
make  no  stop  of  any  length  at  present,  and  a  very  hasty 
survey  of  Detroit  is  all  that  we  can  allow  ourselves.  Detroit 
has  many  fine  business  blocks,  and  Woodward  Avenue  con- 
tains some  of  the  handsomest  residences  in  the  "West.  The 
large  lake  steamers  lying  at  the  docks  give  to  the  city  an  air 
of  extended  commerce  which  is  very  impressive. 

We  leave  Detroit  at  9.30  A.  m.  by  the  Michigan  Central 
Railroad,  and  when  we  have  travelled  about  two  hours  the 
aspect  of  the  country  through  which  we  are  passing  has  be- 
come thoroughly  "  Western."  On  both  sides  of  the  railroad 
the  fences  between  the  fields  are  far  less  numerous  than  in 
Xew  England,  probably  indicating  that  these  long  stretches 
of  rich  grain  are  the  property  of  a  single  proprietor.  The 
towns  and  villages,  too,  look  fresh  and  new,  and  the  tall,  keen- 
looking  men,  standing  about  in  top-boots  and  flannel  shirts, 
are  strange  objects  to  our  Eastern  eyes.  At  Kalamazoo  our 
train  rushes  through  a  thick  cloud  of  grasshoppers,  who  flutter 
and  spread  themselves  over  everything  they  meet,  making  it 
evident  what  serious  damage  they  are  capable  of  inflicting  to 
crops  over  which  they  pass.  At  7  p.  M.  we  come  in  sight  of 
Lake  Michigan,  and  for  nearly  an  hour  our  train  runs  close 
to  the   water,  until,   having  rounded  a  curve,  we  see  a  great 


DOTTIXGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


city  spread  out  before  us;  clouds  of  smoke  are  pouring  forth 
out  of  tall  chimneys ;  the  spires  of  churches  stand  out  against 
the  sky:  our  train  rattles  across  several  switches,  rushes  into 
a  perfect  labyrinth  of  tracks,  gives  a  long  shrill  whistle,  and 
at  last  comes  to  a  stand-still;  we  alight  and  set  foot  in  Chi- 

In  1833  Chicago  was  the  name  applied  to  a  few  houses 
near  Fort  Dearborn  In  1840  it  had  a  population  of  4,000; 
at  present  it  has  about  400,000.  We  enter  one  of  the  many 
omnibuses  standing  near  the  station,  and  soon  have  obtained 
most   comfortable  quarters  at  the  Palmer  House. 

July  7.  —  After  a  refreshing  sleep  and  most  excellent  break- 
last,  we  walk  out  through  the  principal  business  street  of 
the  city.  "What  a  rush  and  whirl  and  hurry  everywhere ! 
Everybody  walks  rapidly  along,  rarely  looking  in  each  other's 
faces,  each  mind  intent  on  its  own  business;  each  man,  ap- 
parently, eager  to  get  to  a  particular  place  before  his  neighbor, 
each  fearful  lest  a  moment's  delay  may  upset  his  plans  for- 
ever. This  feverish  haste  is,  it  seems  to  me,  far  more  notice- 
able than  in  New  York  itself.  Some  idea  of  the  extent  and 
variety  of  the  trade  of  Chicago  may  lie  formed  from  the  fol- 
lowing: "In  1872  about  70,000,000  bushels  of  grain  came  to 
market,  with  1,000,000,000  feet  of  timber,  400,000  cattle, 
1,90(),(IU0  hogs,  and  3,000,000  sheep.  Enormous  elevators 
shoot  the  -rain  into  the  vessels  at  the  rate  of  10,000  tons  a 
day:  one   vessel   can  be  filled  in  twenty  minutes." 


FROM  BOSTOX   TO   SALT  LAKE   CITY.  7 

In  the  afternoon  we  take  a  carriage  and  drive  about  the 
city.  The  private  residences,  even  on  Michigan  Avenue,  do 
not  satisfy  my  expectations.  Many  of  the  houses  are  built 
of  wood,  and  a  large  majority  of  them  look  hastily  constructed. 
The  people  of  Chicago,  however,  can  congratulate  themselves 
on  their  fine  "  Boulevards,"  and  the  sight  of  them  make  me 
remember  with  regret  how  much  Boston  is  in  need  of  similar 
drives  for  her  citizens.  We  drive  next  to  the  building  con- 
taining the  complicated  and  ponderous  machinery  which  draws 
water  from  a  point  two  miles  out  in  the  lake,  for  the  use  of 
the  city ;  and,  standing  near  this  mass  of  iron,  it  hardly  seems 
possible  that  it  owes  its  very  existence  and  movement  to  the 
comparatively  small  objects  called  men  that  circulate  at  its 
feet !  From  the  neighboring  tower  a  fine  bird's-eye  view  of 
the  city  can  be  obtained. 

We  leave  Chicago  at  8  P.  m.  by  the  Chicago,  Alton,  and  St. 
Louis  Railroad,  and  reach  St.  Louis,  our  next  objective 
point,  at  nine  o'clock  the  following  morning,  after  travelling 
with  fearful  rapidity. 

July  8.  —  After  breakfasting  at  a  comfortably  late  hour  at 
the  Southern  Hotel,  we  walk  out  to  see  the  new  bridge 
over  the  Mississippi  River,  and  find  it  truly  a  wonder  of 
engineering  art  and  mechanical  construction.  We  make  a 
survey  of  some  of  the  principal  streets  of  St.  Louis, 
which  seems  to  contain  characteristics  of  both  Northern  and 
Southern  cities;   but  as  the  beat  is  very  oppressive,  we  soon 


8  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

return  to  the  hotel,  and  endeavor  to  keep  as  cool  as  we  pos- 
sibly can,  sitting  quietly  in  doors. 

We  had  intended  to  travel  without  change  from  St.  Louis 
to  Denver,  but,  owing  to  a  recent  "  wash-out "  on  the  North- 
Missouri  Railroad,  we  find  that  we  shall  be  obliged  to  travel 
to  Kansas  City  by  the  Missouri  Pacific  Railroad,  and  change 
there  on  to  the  Kansas  Pacific  Railroad,  which  will  carry  us 
to  Denver.  So  at  8  P.  M.  we  arrive  at  the  station  of  the  Mis- 
souri Pacific  Railroad,  and  enter  the  Pullman  car  only  to  find 
that  our  section  (which  we  have  previously  engaged)  is  oppo- 
site a  very  colony  of  individuals.  A  mother  with  an  elderly 
daughter,  two  small  boys,  a  baby,  and  a  maid,  give  all  the 
rest  of  the  passengers  a  mathematical  as  well  as  practical 
puzzle  to  decide  how  they  intend  to  stow  themselves  for  the 
night  in  places  for  a  third  of  their  number.  The  enigma  is 
soon  solved,  however,  by  the  mother  remarking  in  a  loud  tone 
of   voice    that    "she    hopes    some   gentleman    will   give    her   a 

lower  berth  or  take  some  of  her  children;"     Before  F or 

myself  are  called  upon  to  immolate  our  night's  rest  on  the 
altar  of  politeness,  the  conductor  enters  and  informs  us  that 
our  section  is  the  corresponding  one  in  the  car  ahead;  so 
we  leave  the  other  gentlemen  to  attend  to  the  lady's  clearly- 
expressed  wish,  and  make  our  way  forward,  congratulating 
ourselves  that  we  shall  now  "have  peace":  but  it  is  not  to 
be.  We  find  in 'our  section  in  this  car  a  young  mother  with 
a  little  girl  and  a  very  young  baby,  the  latter  of  whom,  over- 


FROM  BOSTON   TO   SALT  LAKE   CITY.  g 

come  probably  by  the  excessive  heat  and  want  of  sleep,  is 
crying  heartily.  This  family  are  merely  occupying  our  sec- 
tion till  their  own  is  prepared  for  the  night;  and  this  being 
accomplished,  they  retire,  and  we  take  possession.  The  poor 
baby  cries  all  through  the  night  with  unfailing  regularity,  and 
when,  at  last,  morning  breaks,  I  am  amazed  to  see  the  mother 
offer  her  children  a  breakfast  of  cold  chicken,  pickles,  and 
Washington  pie ! 

July  0.  —  We  reach  Kansas  City  at  8.30  a.  m.,  and  find  the 
train  for  Denver  waiting  near  by  on  the  Kansas  Pacific  Rail- 
road. We  start  at  ten  o'clock,  and  soon  after  are  rushing 
over  the  desolate  prairies.*  Far  as  the  eye  can  see,  on  either 
side  of  the  train  stretches  one  flat,  unbroken,  barren  waste  of 
land,  with  scarcely  a  living  thing  to  break  the  intense  silence 
and  dreadful  monotony.  Once  in  about  two  hours  the  train 
halts  at  a  "  station,"  —  consisting  of  one  dwelling-house,  a 
saloon,  and  a  few  lazy-looking  Indians,  —  and,  after  taking 
in  a  fresh  supply  of  water  and  coal,  we  leave  all  this  behind 
us,  with  no  great  regret.  Wearied  with  the  monotony,  I  go 
forward  on  to  the  engine,  and  persuade  the  engineer  to  let 
me  ride  with  him.  From  here  I  can  at  least  see  all  that  the 
country  has  to  show.  Once,  as  we  dash  along,  a  great  eagle 
rises  majestically  in  front  of  us,  hovers  a  moment  near  by  as  if 
filled  with  a  sort  of  sad  wonder  at  being  driven  away  from  his 

*  In  fact,  in  all  my  after-travel  to  San  Francisco  I  did  not  find  any  more  dreary, 
lonely,  and  uninteresting  country  than  from  Kansas  City  tu  Denver. 


IO  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

solitary  haunt,  and  then  floats  gracefully  off.  A  little  farther 
along  we  scatter  a  herd  of  antelopes,  which  bound  quickly 
aside.  Having  paused  for  half  an  hour  at  a  characteristic 
"  station  "  to  discuss  some  dangerous-looking  compounds  called 
"  dinner,"  we  continue  our  journey.  The  afternoon  wears 
wearily  away ;  we  stop  again  for  "  supper " ;  the  sun  sets  in 
a  mass  of  dark  clouds,  and  a  storm  is  evidently  upon  us. 
Soon  the  rain  begins  to  patter  down  on  the  car-roof,  accom- 
panied by  thunder,  lightning,  and  hail.  Still  we  rush  on. 
Outside  the  car  windows  all  is  thick  darkness,  and  the  rain- 
drops striking  against  the   glass  can  plainly  be   heard  above 

the   noise   of  the   train.     I   look   over  at  F ;  he   is   fast 

asleep,  and  I  strive  to  follow  his  example. 

July  10.  —  We  are  due  in  Denver  at  6  p.  m.  ;  but  at  the 
station  where  we  halt  for  dinner  we  receive  the  annoying 
news  by  telegraph  that  the  thunder-storm  of  yesterday  has 
washed  away  two  bridges  between  us  and  Denver,  and  a  long 
delay  is  inevitable.  To  add  to  our  misfortunes,  it  begins  to 
rain  again  heavily,  and  a  more  desolate-looking  car's  company 
can  hardly  be  found.  Fortunately,  however,  we  are  halted  at 
a  little  place  (called  Hugo)  where  food  can  be  obtained. 
Another  afternoon  passes ;  evening  closes  in.  What  a  com- 
fortless position!  Standing  still  away  out  on  a  desolate 
]  Mai  rie  in  a  drenching  rain,  —  drenching,  for  the  roof  of  our 
Pullman  leaks  badly,  and  all  we  can  do  is  to  follow  the 
porter's  advice  and  "  wait  till  it  swells  " ! 


FROM  BOSTON  TO  SALT  LAKE   CITY.  II 


July  11.  —  Sunday  morning  dawns,  however,  clear  and  cool ; 
and  it  seems  as  if  Nature  is  determined  to  show  us  as  bright 
a  face  as  possible  after  her  gloomy  aspect  of  yesterday.     After 
breakfasting  on  what  the   place  affords,  we  stroll  about   and 
endeavor  to  pass  the  time  as  best  we  can;  and  I  cannot  help 
thinking  how  differently  we  are  spending  Sunday  from  those 
in  Boston:  for,  instead  of  the  musical  church-bells,  we  hear 
only  the  discordant  sounds  from  pigs,  poultry,  and  cattle ;  and, 
instead   of  the  throngs  of  well-dressed  people   bound  to  the 
different  churches,  we  see  only  a  few  weary  passengers,  and 
an  occasional  Indian  riding  along  on  a  mustang.     By  dinner- 
time we  find  that  our  unexpected  and  prolonged  stay  at  Hugo 
has  somewhat  exhausted  its  culinary  resources;    and  for  this, 
as  well  as  other  reasons,  we  are  delighted  to  hear,  about  2  p.  m., 
that  the  bridges  have  been  repaired,  and  that  we  can  proceed. 
After   travelling   slowly  for  one   hundred   and  five  miles,  we 
finally  arrive  at  Denver  at  8  p.  m.,  having  been  on  the  road 
from   Kansas   City  fifty-eight   hours!      Every  one   coming  to 
Denver  hears,  long  before  his  arrival,  of  its  excellent  hotels, 
the  best,  indeed,  between  St.  Louis  and  Salt  Lake  City,  —  the 
Grand  Central,  the  Interocean,  the  Sargent  House,  and  others. 
Not   knowing,  of  course,  exactly  where   they   are   located    in 
the  city,  he  will  be  somewhat  surprised,  immediately  on  his 
arrival   at    the    station,   to   see   directly   opposite,   across    the 
square,  a  row  of  small  wooden  hotels,  each  one   bearing  one 
of    these   well-known   names,   its    namesake   being   in   reality 


12  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

located  in  a  distant  part  of  the  town;  and,  unless  one  is  on 
the  lookout  for  this  deception,  it  may  happen  that  you  take 
up  your  abode  in  one  of  these  catchpennies  before  you  dis- 
cover your  mistake.  This  state  of  things  should  be  sup- 
pressed by  the  municipal  authorities. 

July  12.  —  We  spend  the  morning  in  walking  about  the 
city,  which  is  very  pleasantly  situated  on  the  south  bank  of 
the  South  La  Platte  River,  with  the  snow-capped  peaks  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains  rising  in  the  distance  around  it.  The 
town  covers  a  large  amount  of  ground,  but  does  not  seem  to 
possess  a  very  large  number  of  inhabitants.  Denver  is  re- 
markable for  the  many  elegantly  appointed  billiard  and  drink- 
ing saloons  and  cigar-stores  that  meet  you  at  every  turn. 
The  climate  is  cool  and  delightful.  We  leave  Denver  at  3.30 
P.  M.  by  the  Colorado  Central  Railroad  for  a  short  stay  among 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  bound  first  for  Central  City.  After 
rifling  fur  about  an  hour,  we  change  cars  on  to  a  narrow- 
gauge  railroad,  and  from  this  point  the  scenery  is  of  the  very 
wildest  description.  The  road  itself,  built  as  it  is  along  the 
banks  of  streams,  and  through  cuts  in  the  solid  rock  which 
now  rises  so  high  above  your  head  that  it  almost  shuts  out 
the  sky,  is  a  tribute  to  man's  superiority  to  the  obstacles  na- 
ture has  placed  in  his  way.  As  we  stop  a  minute  before 
a  very  steep  ascent,  I  go  forward  and  ask  permission  of  the 
engineer  to  ride  by  his  side,  believing  that  one  cannot  ob- 
tain  an   adequate   view   of   the    magnificent    scenery   through 


FROM  BOSTOX   TO   SALT  LAKE  CITY.  1 3 

which  we  are  about  to  pass  while  sitting  in  the  cars.  The 
engineer,  however,  says  that,  as  the  road  is  narrow-gauge,  the 
cab  is  only  just  big  enough  for  himself  and  the  fireman. 
"  But,"  says  he,  "  many  Eastern  men  ride  up  this  canon  on 
the  cow-catcher."  After  assuring  me  that  it  is  perfectly  safe, 
as  he  can  by  no  means  travel  at  express  rate,  he  places  a 
broad  board  on  the  cow-catcher;  and,  when  I  have  taken  my 
seat,  with  my  hand  firmly  grasping  the  signal-flag,  the  engine 
gives  a  shrill  whistle,  and  off  we  start.  For  the  first  five 
minutes  I  really  enjoy  my  novel  manner  of  locomotion.  "  This," 
said  I,  "  is  the  very  place  of  all  others  from  which  to  view  the 
mountains !  —  to  be  pushed  slowly  up  the  gorge  with  nothing 
before  you  on  the  track,  a  towering  mass  of  rocks  on  the  one 
hand,  and  on  the  other,  far  below,  a  quickly  flowing  stream, 
hissing  and  gurgling  over  stones  and  fallen  trees  and  old 
mill-wheels.  Another  five  minutes  passes  by.  I  begin  to 
speculate  as  to  what  will  happen  to  me  if,  getting  a  little 
dizzy,  I  leap  off  the  engine.  If  I  spring  aside  to  the  right,  I 
shall  lie  crushed  between  the  train  and  the  towering  rock;  if 
I  jump  to  the  left,  I  shall  be  dashed  to  pieces  on  the  stones  of 
the  stream  far  below.  The  result  will  be  the  same  in  either 
case,  —  death,  Still  the  quickly-throbbing  engine  pushes  me 
on.  As  we  pass  through  a  village  the  inhabitants  turn  out 
and  stare  at  the  engine,  amazed  at  the  novel  figure-head  that 
it  carries.  The  village  is  left  behind:  we  are  again  alone, 
making    our  way  up   the  canon;  the  hot   breath  of  the  engine 


14  DOTTIXGS  ROUND   THE  CIRCLE. 


stifles  me ;  the  continual  swaying  from  side  to  side  affects  my 
head ;  I  call  aloud  to  the  engineer,  but  the  sound  of  my  voice 
is  drowned  in  the  roar  of  the  wheels.  I  try  to  grasp  the  little 
flag-staff  more  firmly;  it  turns  in  its  socket,  and  I  am  com- 
pelled to  trust  to  my  hold  on  the  bars  of  the  cow-catcher.  I 
do  not  know  how  long  I  can  endure  this.  I  almost  feel  that 
I  may  faint.  A  village  is  in  sight!  Do  we  stop?  Yes,  for 
our  engine  gives  a  loud  whistle,  the  breaks  are  put  down,  the 
wheels  turn  more  slowly ;  we  come  to  a  stand-stilL  I  leap 
off  the  engine  and  seek  the  engineer. 

"  How  far  have  we  travelled  since  I  got  on  to  the  engine  ? " 

"Eight  miles,"  is  the  reply. 

Eiidit  miles !     I  return  to  the  car,  much  to  F 's  satisfac- 

tion,  who  tells  me  that  he  happened  to  look  out  of  the  car 
window,  a  little  while  before,  and,  as  the  engine  slowly 
rounded  a  curve,  he  was  amazed  to  see  me  sitting  bolt  up- 
right on  the  cow-catcher.  At  eight  o'clock  we  arrive  at  the 
terminus  of  the  railroad,  a  small  mining  town  called  "Black 
Hawk,"  where  we  find,  waiting  in  the  thick  mist  that  has 
spread  itself  over  everything,  a  comfortable  omnibus  bound 
fur  Central  City  and  the  Teller  House,  which  latter  spot, 
the  best  hotel  in  the  vicinity,  is  to  be  our  shelter  for  the 
night.  The  road  winds  directly  up  the  mountain-side,  and  all 
along  llic  way,  a  full  half-mile,  we  pass  straggling  houses  and 
mining  buildings,  with  a  saloon  at  every  turn  in  the  road. 
The   inhabitants,   however,   seem  to  be  a  sturdy,  honest-look- 


FROM  BOSTON  TO  SALT  LAKE   CITY.  1 5 

ing  set,  and  the  best  of  order  prevails  everywhere.  We  reach 
the  Teller  House  about  8.45  o'clock,  and  find  ourselves  in 
a  very  comfortable-looking  hotel,  surrounded  by  a  small  mining 
village,  with  high  mountain-peaks  rising  in  every  direction. 

July  13.  —  After  an  early  breakfast  we  ascend  a  neighbor- 
ing spur  of  the  mountain,  and  the  view  in  every  direction  is 
wonderful.  On  all  sides,  and  stretching  away  off  into  the 
distance,  countless  peaks,  many  snow-capped,  thrust  their 
heads  upward,  while  a  thin  bluish  haze  floats  around  them, 
brought  out  into  stronger  relief  by  the  excessive  clearness  of 
the  air  elsewhere.  We  visit  a  gold-mine  near  by,  and  find 
the  miners  very  intelligent  and  polite.  At  eleven  o'clock 
we  take  the  outside  seats  on  the  stage  bound  for  Idaho 
Springs,  a  neighboring  town  noted  for  its  warm  springs,  where 
also  you  strike  the  direct  railroad  back  to  Denver.  Going 
down  a  mountain  in  Colorado  on  a  sta^e-coach  is  no  light 
matter !  The  stage-driver  shuts  down  the  brake,  and  after 
taking  a  firm  hold  of  the  reins  and  giving  a  general  caution 
to  the  passengers,  "  lets  her  run "  away  down  to  the  foot, 
arriving  there  generally  in  perfect  safety,  but  dashing  and 
whirling  round  sudden  turns  in  the  road  in  a  most  alarming 
manner.  The  excellent  stories,  however,  that  one  hears  from 
these  eccentric  specimens  of  humanity  almost  excuse  their 
apparent  recklessness. 

We  arrive  at  Idaho  Springs  at  noon,  and  go  at  once  to  take 
a  bath  in  the  waters   for    which  the  place  is  celebrated.     We 


1 6  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

have  our  choice  of  a  tub  or  swimming-bath,  aud  both  prefer 
the  latter.  We  find  this  to  consist  of  a  large  square  room 
made  iuto  a  sort  of  tank,  with  about  five  feet  of  water  always 
in  it,  a  pipe  letting  the  water  in,  and  another  discharging  it 
continually.  The  water  is  always  very  warm;  the  medicinal 
properties  may  be  determined  from  the  following  analysis :  — 

('ail innate  of  soda  .....  30.80 
Carl  innate  of  lime        ....  9.52 

Carbonate  of  magnesia  .  .  .  .2.88 
Carbonate  of  iron        ....  4.12 

Sulphate  of  soda 29.36 

Sulphate  of  magnesia  .  .  .  .  18.72 
Sulphate  of  lime  .  .  .  .  .3.44 
Chloride  of  sodium      .         .         .         .  4.16 

Chlorides  of  calcium  and  magnesia,  each  a  trace. 
Silicate  of  soda       .....       4.08 


Grains 107.00 

After  dinner  we  take  another  stage-coach  and  drive  to  the 
railroad  station,  and  soon  after  start  in  the  cars  for  Denver. 
"We  have  gone  only  about  a  hundred  feet  when  a  sudden  and 
loud  hissing  sound,  together  with  a  peculiar  grating  motion 
of  our  ear,  causes  every  passenger  to  rush  out  of  the  train 
and  look  eagerly  down  the  road  in  the  direction  of  the  un- 
usual phenomena.  We  see  before  us  our  engine  lying  on  its 
side  in  the  water  of  the  stream  by  which  runs  the  railroad, 
the  track  twisted  and  broken  up  for  a  short  distance,  but  all 
the  cars  standing  safely   in    their  places.     The  hissing  sound 


FROM  BOSTON  TO  SALT  LAKE   CITY.  1 7 


is  caused  by  the  steam  from  the  engine  rushing  out  directly 
into  the  water.  Soon  the  engineer  (brave  fellow  !),  who  has 
gone  down  with  his  machine,  emerges  from  the  debris,  a  little 
■  but  not  seriously  hurt.  The  fireman  jumped  before  the  en- 
gine struck  the  water.  On  going  up  to  it  I  find  that  the 
broken  mass  of  wood  and  iron  was  yesterday  the  very  engine 
on  whose  cow-catcher  I  had  ridden  up  the  Colorado  canon! 
Another  train  is  telegraphed  for,  which  soon  after  backs  up 
on  the  other  side  of  the  accident,  and  we  are  soon  on  our 
way  to  Denver,  which  we  reach  at  6.30  o'clock,  and  once 
more  are  quartered  at  the  Grand  Central  Hotel. 

July  14.  —  At  7  A.  m.  we  say  good-by  to  Denver,  and  start 
by  the  Denver  Pacific  Railroad  for  Cheyenne  to  meet  the 
Union  Pacific  KaUroad,  which  will  carry  us  farther  west.  The 
day  is  very  hot,  the  country  flat  and  uninteresting,  and  we  are 
glad  when,  at  twelve  o'clock,  we  reach  Cheyenne  and  sit  down 
to  dinner.  At  1.15  P.  M.  the  Western  train  comes  along,  and, 
having  enjrased  a  section  in  the  Pullman,  we  soon  after  start 
for  Ogden.  The  prairie  through  which  we  are  now  passing 
is  far  more  picturesque  than  that  near  Denver.  The  grass  is 
greener,  the  land  is  undulating,  and  the  landscape  is  frequently 
broken.  Prairie-dogs  gaze  at  us  from  their  little  mounds,  and 
the  graceful  antelopes  raise  their  delicate  heads  in  calm  con- 
templation as  we  rush  by.  At  8  p.  M.  a  beautiful  full  moon 
rises  over  the  prairie,  and,  taking  advantage  of  a  slight  delay 
while  the  engine  is  taking  in  coal,  I   go  forward,  ami,  having 


1 8  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE    CIRCLE. 

easily  obtained  the  engineer's  permission,  ride  by  his  side  (in 
the,  cab)  for  about  an  hour,  the  clear  moonlight  pouring  over 
everything,  making  the  night  almost  like  day. 

July  15.  —  After  another  long  day  in  the  cars  we  reach 
Ogden  at  5.30  p.  m.,  and  find  we  have  forty  minutes  to  wait 
before  the  branch  train  will  start  for  Salt  Lake  City.  Ogden 
is  the  terminus  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  and  the  starting- 
point  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad.  Here,  too,  is  the  point 
of  departure  of  the  Utah  Central  Railroad,  which  runs  to  Salt 
Lake  City.  Ogden  is  situated  at  the  foot  of  some  high  and 
very  picturesque  mountains,  and  the  air  is  exceedingly  fresh 
and  exhilarating.  Three  companies  of  soldiers  from  the  United 
States  military  post  at  Salt  Lake  City  are  just  leaving  Ogden 
to  proceed  farther  west  to  the  scene  of  some  recent  Indian 
disturbance,  and  the  full  fighting-equipments  of  the  men,  the 
sharp  commands  of  the  officers,  and  the  encouraging  cheers 
from  the  lookers-on,  carry  one  back,  in  memory,  to  the  terrible 
days  of  our  war. 

Soon  after  six  o'clock  we  start  for  Salt  Lake  City  on  the  Utah 
Central  Railroad.  On  either  side  of  us  a  flat  sandy  desert 
stretches  away  into  the  distance.  Soon  we  come  in  sight  of 
the  Great  Salt  Lake,  whose  unruffled  waters,  dull  and  metallic 
colored,  are  lighted  up  by  the  beams  of  the  setting  sun.  At 
eight  o'clock  we  reach  Salt  Lake  City,  and  drive  at  once  to  the 
Townsend  House,  a  hotel  kept  by  a  Mormon  who  takes  great 
pains  to  give  explicit  information  and  even  letters  of  introduc- 
tion to  strangers  who  take  up  their  abode  with  him. 


SALT  LAKE   CITY  TO   THE    YOSEMITE    VALLEY.    1 9 


CHAPTER    II. 

FROM  SALT   LAKE   CITY  TO   THE  YOSEMITE  VALLEY. 

Salt  Lake  City.  — An  Interview  with  Brigham  Young. — A  Bath  in 
the  Great  Salt  Lake.  —  Ogden  to  Stockton.  —  Starting  for  the 
Yosemite.  —  Four  Days  on  the  Road. 

July  16.  —  "What  a  peculiar  place  !  The  streets  are  broad 
and  shady;  the  houses,  mostly  built  of  wood,  are  set  a  little 
back  from  the  roads,  and  each  one  possesses  its  own  plot  of 
ground,  where  flowers  or  vegetables  are  cultivated.  A  city  ? 
No ;  rather  a  great  caravanserai  in  the  centre  of  a  burning 
desert.  The  roofs  of  the  houses  are  flat,  and  little  gardens  are 
sprouting  from  them,  forming  pleasant  resting-spots  for  evening- 
time.  The  men  look  coarse  and  ill-educated,  the  women  stupid, 
and  the  little  children  neglected.  One  can  hardly  believe  he 
is  in  an  American  city.  A  strange  moral  atmosphere  pervades 
the  place.  The  passers-by  seem  filled  with  the  consciousness 
of  a  Presence  which  is  ever  at  their  doors,  whose  laws  they 
must  obey,  whose  continual  supervision  they  cannot  escape. 

The  situation  of  Salt  Lake  City  is  extremely  picturesque. 
It  lies  at  the  foot  of  the  Wahsatch  Mountains,  whose  snow- 
capped hills  contrast  beautifully  witli  the  deep  blue  of  tin; 
sky.     Considering  its  desert  surroundings,  it  is  well  called  by 


20  DOTTING S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

"  the  Saints  "  the  "  Eden  "  of  the  land.  The  population  is  about 
thirty  thousand.  A  United  States  military  post,  Fort  Douglas, 
overlooks  the  whole  city,  which  could  soon  be  laid  low  by  the 
powerful  guns  which  seem  to  be  continually  watching  it. 

Immediately  after  breakfast  we  go  to  the  Mormon  Taber- 
nacle, situated  in  the  centre  of  the  city,  not  far  from  Brigham 
Young's  house.  On  arriving  at  the  grounds  of  the  Tabernacle, 
we  stop  at  a  little  lodge,  where  a  guide  —  the  custodian  of 
the  place  —  meets  us  and  conducts  us  about,  giving  us  full  in- 
formation in  regard  to  every  point  of  interest.  The  Tabernacle 
is  a  very  large  building,  "  oblong  in  shape,  having  a  length  of 
250  feet  from  east  to  west,  by  150  feet  in  width.  The  roof  is 
supported  by  forty-six  columns  of  cut  sandstone,  which,  with  the 
spaces  between,  used  for  doors,  windows,  etc.,  constitute  the 
wall.  From  these  pillars  or  walls  the  roof  springs  in  one  un- 
broken arch,  forming  the  largest  self-sustaining  roof  on  the  con- 
tinent,  with  one  notable  exception,  —  the  Grand  Central  Depot 
in  New  York  City.  The  ceiling  of  the  roof  is  65  feet  above  the 
floor.  In  one  end  of  this  egg-shaped  building  is  the  organ, — 
the  second  in  size  in  America.  The  Tabernacle  is  used  for 
church  purposes,  as  well  as  for  other  large  gatherings  of  the 
people.  With  the  gallery,  which  extends  across  both  sides  and 
one  end  of  this  immense  building,  it  will  seat  8,000  people." 

We  walk  up  on  to  the  stage  and  sit  down  among  the  seats 
of  the  Elders.  These  form  a  semicircle  directly  in  front  of  the 
organ;  while  a  huge  chair  in  the  extreme  foreground,  covered 


SALT  LAKE   CITY  TO   THE    YOSEMITE   VALLEY.     21 

with  a  coarse  fur  rug,  is  the  throue  of  the  Prophet,  or  "  the 

President,"  as  he  is  usually  called.     To  stand  on  the  stage  and 

look  across  over  the  almost  countless  rows  of  benches  gives  one 

a  veiy  good  idea  of  the  wonderful  size  of  the  hall ;  and  when 

every  seat  is   filled  with  "the  congregation  of  the   faithful," 

the  sight  must  be  very  impressive.     The  entire  exterior  of  the 

gallery  is  adorned  with  texts  and  maxims  derived  from  various 

sources,  the  sentiments  being  partly  Scriptural,  partly  political, 

and  partly  simply  practical.      They  are  as  follows,  each  one 

being  in  large  capital  letters :  — 

OBEDIENCE   IS   BETTER   THAN   SACRIFICE. 

SUFFER   LITTLE   CHILDREN   TO   COME   UNTO   ME. 

WE   THANK   THEE,    0   GOD,    FOR  A   PROPHET. 

KEEP   YOUR   ARMOR   BRIGHT. 

GOD   BLESS   OUR   TEACHERS. 

BE   TEMPERATE   IN   ALL   THINGS. 

IF  YE   LOVE   ME,   DO   MY   WILL. 

HOLINESS   TO   THE   LORD. 

WHAT   HATH   GOD   AVROUGHT. 

OUR  OWN    MOUNTAIN   HOME. 

UNITED   WE   STAND,   DIVIDED   WE   FALL. 

HEIRS   OF   THE   PRIESTHOOD. 

FEED   MY   LAMBS. 

DO   WHAT   IS    RIGHT. 

OUR   CRUCIFIED   SAVIOUR. 

THE   MOTHERS   IN   ISRAEL. 

UNION   IS   STRENGTH. 

KNOWLEDGE    IS    POWER. 

THE   DAUGHTERS  OF  ZION. 

OUR   MARTYKKD    PROPHET. 

GOD   AND   OUR   RIGHT. 


22  D0TT1NGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


ZION  IS   GROWING. 
IN   GOD   WE   TRUST. 
OUR   LIVING  ORACLES. 
THE   KINGDOM   IS   OURS. 
THE   HOLY   PRIESTHOOD. 
UTAH'S  BEST-CROP  CHILDREN. 
BRIGHAM   OUR  LEADER  AND   FRIEND. 
HAIL   TO   OUR  CHIEFTAIN. 
PROVIDENCE   IS   OVER  ALL. 
CHILDREN,   OBEY   YOUR   PARENTS. 
PRAISE   THE   LORD  — HALLELUJAH! 
HONOR   THY   FATHER  AND   MOTHER. 
THE   KINGDOM   OF   GOD   OR  NOTHING. 
GLORY  TO   GOD  IN  THE  HIGHEST. 
THE  PIONEERS  OF   1847. 

Having  finished  the  perusal  of  this  pot-pourri  of  precepts, 
we  leave  the  Tabernacle,  and  make  our  way  across  the  grounds 
to  the  site  of  the  proposed  Temple,  of  which  the  foundations 
only  are  laid.  The  Mormon  Elders  are  building  this  Temple 
from  the  tithes  received  from  the  people,  —  for  every  Mormon 
is  obliged  to  bestow  a  tenth  part  of  his  entire  income  upon  the 
church,  — and  as  these  vary  in  amount  greatly  from  year  to 
year,  the  progress  of  the  building  has  thus  far  been  very  slow, 
and  it  is  doubtful  if  it  will  ever  be  completed.  The  proposed 
dimensions  of  the  Temple  are,  at  the  foundations,  99  x  1S6£ 
feet.  The  Mormons  intend  it  for  a  building  in  which  they 
can  perform  the  rites  and  ceremonies  peculiar  to  their  religion; 
the  Tabernacle,  as  I  have  said,  being  only  a  place  for  general 
worship  aud  assembly. 


SALT  LAKE   CITY   TO   THE   YO SEMITE    VALLEY.     23 

We  visit  next  the  "Warm  Springs,  situated  at  the  foot  of 
the  Wahsatch  Mountains,  about  a  mile  from  the  centre  of  the 
city.  We  find  here  a  swimming-bath,  similar  to  the  one  at 
Idaho  Springs.  An  analysis  of  these  springs  was  made  some 
years  ago  by  Dr.  Charles  T.  Jackson  of  Boston.  The  usual 
temperature  is  102°  Fahrenheit. 

We  now  set  out  for  Brigham  Young's  residence,  to  present 
a  letter  of  introduction  to  him  which  we  have  received  from 
a  gentleman  in  Boston  who  has  been  instrumental  in  build- 
ing the  railroad  from  Ogden  to  Salt  Lake  City.  Our  way  lies 
through  the  business  portion  of  the  town,  and  we  are  very 
much  struck  with  the  strange  appearance  of  several  things 
around  us.  Salt  Lake  City  is,  as  I  have  said,  situated  at  the 
foot  of  the  Wahsatch  Mountains,  and  the  clear  water  from 
the  neighboring  hills  is  conducted  down  the  sides  of  the  prin- 
cipal streets  in  broad  wooden  troughs,  which  never  serve,  as 
do  the  gutters  in  our  Eastern  cities,  as  a  repository  for  general 
waste,  but  are  kept  thoroughly  clean  by  the  citizens,  who 
look  to  them  for  a  daily  supply  of  pure  water.  I  saw  a  little 
boy  lie  flat  down  on  the  sidewalk,  and,  putting  his  mouth  into 
the  gutter,  enjoy  as  pure  and  refreshing  a  draught  as  can  be 
obtained  anywhere  in  the  world.  This  swiftly  running  water 
keeps  the  air  cool  and  fresh,  and  tempers  the  summer's  heat. 

We  see  painted  over  many  stores  a  large  eye,  witli  the 
following  motto:  "Holiness  to  the  Lord."  This  is  the  dis- 
tinguishing mark  of  the  Mormon  merchants,  and  is  assumed 


24  DOTTING S  ROUXD   THE   CIRCLE. 

at  the  special  command  of  President  Young,  who  endeavors 
to  keep  all  the  trade  of  the  city  in  the  hands  of  this  "Zion's 
Co-operative  Mercantile  Institution."  We  have  now  arrived 
at  the  outer  gate  of  Brigham's  residence,  and  we  pause  a 
moment  to  examine  it.  It  consists  of  a  very  large  and 
curious  stone  house  connected  with  several  wooden  buildings, 
in  which  dwell  the  Prophet's  wives ;  the  left-hand  one  con- 
taining many  odd-looking  peaked  windows,  the  whole  sur- 
rounded by  a  high  wall.  There  are  three  entrances.  Over 
the  left-hand  gate  is  a  large  stone  beehive,  —  the  emblem  of 
the  Mormons;  over  the  middle  and  chief  gate  rests  a  great 
stone  lion  stretched  at  full  length;  while  a  stone  eagle,  with 
extended  wings,  surmounts  the  right-hand  doorway.  A  por- 
ter is  always  in  attendance  at  the  middle  gate,  and  having 
showed  our  letter  of  introduction  to  President  Young  (as  well 
as  one  to  Bishop  John  Sharpe,  which  we  also  have),  he  informs 
us  that  we  have  come  too  early,  as  "  the  President  does  not 
breakfast  till  eleven,  and  does  not  receive  till  half-past  one." 
He  tells  us,  however,  that  if  we  will  call  again  later  we  will 
be  received.     So  we  return  to  the  hotel  for  dinner. 

Having  finished  our  dinner,  we  set  out  again  for  the  "  Presi- 
dency," followed  by  the  respectful  and  admiring  glances  of 
all  the  attaches  of  the  hotel,  who  evidently  consider  us  of 
much  importance,  since  we  are  actually  to  be  received  by  the 
high  authority  of  the  place.  Arrived  at  the  main  gateway, 
we  are  met  by  the  porter,  who  conducts  us  under  the  sleeping 


SALT  LAKE    CITY   TO   THE    YOSEMITE    VALLEY.     25 

lion  into  a  sort  of  office,  where  many  clerks,  some  of  them 
sons  of  the  "  President,"  are  busily  at  work  on  the  affairs  of 
Mormondom.  Our  guide,  having  seated  us  here,  vanishes 
into  the  interior  of  the  building.  Eeturning  soon  after  with 
a  solemn  face,  he  bids  us,  in  a  pompous  manner,  to  follow 
him.  We  pass  through  the  office  into  a  wide  hall,  and  cross- 
in"'  this,  our  guide  halts  us  opposite  a  sort  of  double  door, 
which  evidently  leads  into  the  apartment  of  the  Prophet. 
"When  our  conductor  decides  that  we  have  composed  our- 
selves sufficiently  to  go  into  the  presence  of  his  master,  he 
throws  open  the  folding-doors  in  a  manner  which  is  intended 
to  be  impressive,  and,  bowing  low,  motions  us  to  advance. 
We  find  ourselves  in  a  long,  high-studded  room,  plainly  but 
comfortably  furnished,  at  the  upper  end  of  which  are  seated 
a  sort  of  semicircle  of  portly  men,  while  a  very  large,  elderly 
man  with  gray  hair,  distinguished  from  the  others  by  a  cer- 
tain air  of  firmness  and  command,  is  seated  a  little  apart 
from  the  rest  in  a  large  arm-chair.  As  we  enter  he  rises, 
and  when  the  genuflections  of  our  little  conductor  have  ceased, 
Brigham  Young  (for  it  is  he)  comes  forward  and  greets  us 
politely.  Having  presented  us  to  Bishop  John  Sharpe  and 
some  other  bishops  whose  names  I  do  not  catch,  Brigham  leads 
us  to  a  sofa  and  converses  with  us  pleasantly  for  about  five 
minutes.  He  incpiires  especially  about  the  gentleman  who 
has  given  us  our  letter  of  introduction,  questions  us  in  regard 
to  our  proposed  travels,  and  answers  our  interrogations  in  re- 


26  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

gard  to  Salt  Lake  City.  At  this  point,  thinking  that  we  have 
remained  long  enough,  we  rise  to  take  our  leave.  The  bishops 
all  bow  politely,  we  acknowledge  their  salutes,  write  our  names 
in  a  large  "  visitors'  book,"  and  receive  Brigham's  autograph 
in  return,  shake  hands  with  the  "  President,"  and  bid  him 
farewell ;  the  little  mannikin  guide  reappears,  bows  low,  throws 
open  the  folding-doors,  and  ushers  us  out.  We  emerge  from 
the  dazzling  light  of  the  presence  of  the  Prophet  into  the 
light  of  day. 

Brigham  Young  is  now  seventy-five  years  old;  and  though 
evidently  the  possessor  of  a  strong  constitution,  he  yet  gives 
one  the  impression  of  being  a  very  feeble  man.  His  mouth 
is  his  remarkable  feature ;  with  closed  lips  it  looks  like  a  vice, 
and  makes  one  feel  certain  that  he  always  executes  what  he 
decides  upon. 

July  17.  — We  breakfast  at  six  o'clock,  and  at  seven  o'clock 
take  a  train  on  the  Utah  Southern  Railroad  for  a  little  settle- 
ment on  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  called  Lake  Side.  We  wish 
to  examine  the  lake  more  particularly,  and  also  desire  to 
bathe  in  its  peculiar  waters.  The  Utah  Southern  Railroad 
has  lately  been  opened  by  Brigham  Young.  It  is  a  narrow- 
gauge  road,  and  extends  southward  from  Salt  Lake  City  for 
about  thirty  miles.  The  road  runs  directly  across  the  desert ; 
and  the  surrounding  country,  besides  being  flat  and  very 
uninteresting,  swarms  at  this  season  with  mosquitoes,  that  fall 
upon  us   without  mercy.     After    travelling   about  two  hours, 


SALT  LAKE   CITY  TO   THE    YOSEMITE    VALLEY.     27 

the  train  stops  at  Lake  Side.  This  consists  of  a  small  hotel, 
built  directly  on  the  water's  edge,  a  long  pier  near  which  is 
a  little  steamboat,  and  several  bathing-houses.  Going  up  to 
the  hotel,  we  sit  down  on  the  piazza,  and,  after  conversing 
awhile  with  the  proprietor,  turn  our  attention  to  the  lake,  an 
immense  sheet  of  water,  one  hundred  miles  long  and  forty 
miles  broad !  To-day  it  lies  before  us  with  scarcely  a  ripple 
on  its  surface.  No  fish  leap  up  out  of  its  depths,  no  insects 
scurry  along  its  top.  It  is  a  dead  sea.  A  naturalist,  a  corre- 
spondent of  a  New  York  paper,  who  has  come  to  the  hotel 
to  make  scientific  investigations  in  the  vicinity,  assures  us 
that  he  has  repeatedly  tested  the  waters.  "No  living  thing," 
says  he,  "  is  there  but  the  egg  of  a  little  fly,  which  is  depos- 
ited near  the  surface  of  the  water." 

We  take  a  bath  in  the  lake.  The  water  is  so  dense  that 
it  is  impossible  to  sink,  and  so  salt  that  it  causes  the  eyes 
and  even  the  skin  to  smart  terribly.  One  can  easily  lie  ex- 
tended on  the  surface.  When  you  lift  your  feet  from  the 
depths  you  might  imagine  you  had  trodden  on  a  mass  of 
india-rubber,  so  great  is  the  buoyancy.  We  leave  Lake  Side 
at  noon,  and  arrive  back  at  Townsend's  in  time  for  dinner. 

We  have  decided  not  to  stay  over  Sunday,  as  there  will 
be  very  little  of  interest  in  the  Tabernacle.  Neither  Brigham 
Young  nor  Bishop  John  Sharpe  are  to  preach.  So  at  4  p.  m. 
we  say  farewell  to  the  Saints,  and,  taking  the  afternoon 
train  on  the  Utah  Central  Railroad,  arrive  at  Ogden  in  time 


28  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

to  connect  with  the  train  to  the  West  on  the  Central  Pacific 

Railroad.      A  pouring  rain  has   set   in,   and   while   F is 

securing  our  section  in  the  Pullman  car,  I  am  standing  on 
the  platform  among  a  mass  of  trunks,  vainly  endeavoring  to 
attract  the  attention  of  the  baggage-master.  At  last  every- 
thing is  ready;  the  passengers  have  taken  their  seats,  the 
baggage  is  checked  and  aboard,  the  engine  gives  a  farewell 
scream,  and  we  are  off.  We  start  ahead,  skirt  the  northern 
shore  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  and  disappear  in  the  darkness. 

July  18.  —  We  pass  through,  to-day,  broad  prairies  over 
which  blows  continually  a  fine  alkali  dust,  very  disagreeable 
to  the  eyes  and  intensely  annoying  to  all  the  lady  passengers. 
AW'  stop  at  a  "station"  for  dinner.  Here  we  first  make 
acquaintance  with  the  Chinese  waiter.  A  grotesque-looking 
Oriental  stands  between  F and  myself,  and  after  enumer- 
ating the  different  articles  on  the  bill-of-fare  with  astonishing 
volubility  and  without  the  slightest  change  of  countenance, 
and  being  told  that  we  will  both  take  roast-beef,  he  goes  to 
the  side  of  the  room  and  shouts  out  to  his  fellow-countrymen 
below,  " Roastee-beef  twice."  Truly  "the  heathen  Chinee  is 
peculiar." 

July  19.-  Early  this  morning  the  passengers  all  crowd  the 
platforms  of  the  ears  eager  to  see  "The  Horn,"  a  deep  chasm 
between  two  mountains,  along  the  top  of  one  of  which  our 
railroad  is  built.  Far  down  below,  fifteen  hundred  feet  be- 
neath us,  runs  what  appears  to  be  a  small  brook,  —  in  reality 


SALT  LAKE   CITY  TO   THE   YOSEMITE    VALLEY.     29 

a  stream  over  fifty  feet  wide  !  The  beauty  of  the  spot  is 
almost  indescribable.  The  immense  mass  of  rich  foliage  on 
either  side  of  the  chasm,  the  valley  between,  looking  like  a 
mere  strip  far  below,  and  the  many  mountain-peaks  which 
rise  in  various  directions,  all  combine  to  produce  an  idea 
of  immensity  and  far-extending  space  which  is  very  im- 
pressive. The  piece  of  railroad,  indeed,  on  which  we  are 
now  running,  has  a  history  in  accordance  with  the  wildness 
of  the  spot.  The  roadway  was  first  dug  out  and  fashioned- 
by  men  let  down  in  baskets  from  a  higher  point  near  by, 
and  several  lost  their  lives  through  the  breaking  of  the  rope 
while  going  to  or  coming  from  the  scene  of  their  daily  labor. 
The  scenery,  indeed,  from  this  spot  to  Sacramento  City  is  one 
continuous  panorama  of  exquisite  views,  broken  only  by  the 
frequent  snow-sheds  (built  for  the  protection  of  the  road  in 
the  winter  season)  which  line  the  sides  of  the  hills.  We 
reach  Sacramento  City  at  9.30  o'clock,  and  after  making  only 
a  short  pause  continue  our  journey,  and  arrive  at  Stockton, 
our  point  of  departure  for  the  Yosemite  Valley,  at  noon. 
Here  we  leave  the  train  and  proceed  to  the  Yosemite  Hotel 
for  lunch. 

Stockton,  situated  on  the  San  Joaquin  Eiver,  contains  a 
population  of  about  twenty  thousand.  The  city  carries  on  a 
large  grain  trade,  has  several  hotels,  over  a  dozen  churches, 
and  many  fine  public  buildings.  While  on  our  way  from 
Ogden  to  Stockton   we  found  three   gentlemen,  who,  like  OUT- 


30  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

selves,  are  bound  to  the  Yosemite,  and  with  whom  we  are 
very  much   pleased   to   make    the    trip.      These    are   Messrs. 

H and   E of  Boston,  and  Mr.  S of  the   West. 

There  are  two  distinct  routes  to  the  Yosemite  Valley.  The 
tourist  can  either  leave  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  at  Stock- 
ton, go  by  a  branch  railroad  to  Milton  (thirty  miles  away), 
where  he  will  find  a  coach  bound  for  the  Yosemite,  eighty-one 
miles  distant,  passing  on  the  way  the  great  trees  of  Calaveras 
County  (considered  the  largest  of  the  two  groups  of  the 
West) ;  or  one  may  alight  from  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad 
at  Lathrop,  go  by  a  branch  road  to  Merced,  a  distance  of 
fifty-eight  miles,  and  complete  the  journey  to  the  Yosemite 
by  stage,  as  before,  a  distance  here  of  ninety-two  miles,  on  a 
road  lately  constructed.  If  he  selects  the  latter  route  he  will 
pass  the  great  trees  of  the  Mariposa  group.  We  decided  to 
go  by  the  Milton  and  Calaveras  route,  but  to  hire  a  three- 
seated  covered  wagon,  and  driver,  and  perform  the  journey, 
as  it  were,  by  ourselves.  Having  changed  our  money  into 
gold,  for  California  has  always  preserved  a  gold  basis,  we  dine 
at  the  hotel,  and  soon  after,  about  seven  o'clock,  a  wagon,  such 
as  I  have  described,  appears,  drawn  by  four  powerful  horses, 
and  guided  by  a  driver  "  who  has  made  the  trip  eighteen 
times  this  season,  sir " !  We  put  on  board  a  very  moderate 
allowance  of  baggage;  the  idlers  in  front  of  the  hotel  gaze 
at  us  curiously,  almost  sympathetically,  as  if  knowing  well 
the  various   hardships  we  shall   have  to  undergo;   the  driver 


SALT  LAKE   CITY  TO   THE   YOSEMITE   VALLEY.      3 1 

gathers  up  his  reins,  cracks  his  long  whip,  and  we  rattle  off 
in  a  great  cloud  of  dust.  The  road  lies  directly  across  the 
prairie,  and  the  full  moon,  shining  brightly  over  everything, 
makes  the  country  almost  as  light  as  if  it  was  the  sun  itself. 
Our  evening  ride  is  delightful,  and  at  midnight  we  rumble 
into  Milton,  a  small  town  which  has  been  recently  swept  by 
fire  and  a  tornado,  and  draw  up  before  the  Tornado  Hotel 
(called  so  from  the  town's  calamity),  only  to  find  that  the 
landlord,  probably  not  being  in  the  habit  of  receiving  guests 
at  this  hour,  has  closed  his  house  for  the  night;  but  a  shrill, 
weird  scream  from  our  driver  (in  imitation  of  the  screech-owl) 
quickly  rouses  him,  and,  as  we  intend  to  continue  our  journey 
very  early  on  the  following  morning,  the  whole  party  sepa- 
rate for  the  night. 

July  20.  —  According  to  orders,  our  landlord  rouses  us  at 
four  o'clock,  and  after  a  cup  of  coffee  (as  we  intend  to  stop 
for  breakfast  on  the  road),  we  start  again  on  our  way,  getting 
in  motion  thus  early,  because,  while  the  journey  from  Milton 
to  the  "  Big  Trees "  of  Calaveras  usually  occupies  parties  two 
days,  on  their  way  to  the  Yosemite,  we  being  somewhat  in 
haste,  have  decided,  by  changing  horses  at  a  point  thirty-four 
miles  away,  to  visit  the  trees  and  return  to  the  main  road  the 
same  day.  Our  track  lies  through  a  very  wild  and  pictu- 
resque district,  with  scarcely  a  house  anywhere  about  us.  We 
s  great  numbers  of  quail,  pigeons,  and  "jack-rabbits,"  be- 
sides magpies  and  hawks  innumerable.     About  noon  we  stop 


32  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

for  a  short  rest  at  a  small  mining  town  whose  principal  citi- 
zen is  soon  in  conversation  with  us.  He  says  he  was  origi- 
nally from  Boston;  but  as  he  left  that  city  twenty-five  years 
ago,  we  find  that  he  does  not  retain  a  very  lively  interest  in 
regard  to  his  former  residence.  Soon  after  this  we  reach 
Murphy's  Camp,  a  mining  town  where  we  are  to  change 
horses  for  the  Calaveras  trees,  and  to  which  we  intend  to 
return  for  the  night.  After  a  wait  of  fifteen  minutes,  we 
start  off  with  fresh  horses  and  at  once  begin  the  ascent  of 
the  mountain,  on  the  summit  of  which  are  the  great  trees. 
The  dust  is  terrible  and  the  heat  intense.  After  grinding 
along  for  four  hours,  we  reach  the  summit  of  the  mountain, 
and  see  at  once  that  even  all  the  outlying  trees,  at  a  distance 
from  the  giants  themselves,  are  of  far  more  than  ordinary 
size.  We  emerge  from  the  woods  into  an  open  avenue,  and 
see  ahead  of  us  "  The  Sentinels,"  —  two  of  the  big  trees  which 
stand  one  on  each  side  of  the  road  leading  up  to  the  hotel. 
What  immense  fellows !  The  mind  almost  fails  to  grasp  their 
proportions,  almost  refuses  to  accept  the  testimony  of  the 
eye.  We  reach  the  hotel  at  last,  and  having  turned  our  at- 
tention to  dinner  (for  we  have  eaten  very  little  since  morning), 
we  walk  out  into  the  neighboring  grove  and  are  lost  in  won- 
der  at  the  gianl  trees  that  grow  on  every  side.  "There  are 
only  two  species  of  this  genus  known  to  botanists:  the  Sequoia 
gigantea,  or  Big  Tree,  and  the  Sequoia  semipervirens,  or  Red- 
wood.    The  latter  are  very  numerous,  and  are  found  all  along 


SALT  LAKE   CITY  TO   THE   YOSEMITE    VALLEY.      33 

the  Coast  Eange.  The  former  have  been  found  only  in  the 
Sierra  Nevada  Mountains."  The  largest  tree  is  called  the 
"Father  of  the  Forest,"  and  measures  one  hundred  and  twelve 
feet  in  circumference,  and  four  hundred  and  thirty  feet  in 
height.  This  tree  now  lies  at  full  length,  having  been  up- 
rooted in  a  terrible  storm  some  years  ago.  Upon  a  section  of 
another  tree  twenty-five  feet  in  diameter  a  house  has  been 
erected,  and  thirty-two  persons  are  said  to  have  danced  there 
at  one  time.  Another  immense  fellow  eighteen  feet  in  diam- 
eter  is  stretched  on  the  ground,  and  persons  on  horseback, 
entering  through  a  knot-hole,  can  ride  into  the  tree  for  two 
hundred  feet.  Many  of  the  trees  bear  well-known  names,  — 
Abraham  Lincoln ;  Dr.  Asa  Gray ;  The  Three  Graces,  etc.  As 
our  time  is  limited,  we  turn  our  faces  homeward,  and  driving 
rapidly  down  the  mountain,  reach  Murphy's  Camp  at  ten 
o'clock  and  go  at  once  to  bed. 

July  ,11.  —  "We  breakfast  at  six  o'clock,  and  in  an  hour  are 
again  on  our  way.  The  road  is  immoderately  dusty,  the  day 
one  of  the  very  hottest  possible,  and  good  water  —  not  to 
mention  ice-water  —  cpiite  unattainable.  Every  half-hour  one 
of  us  asks  the  driver,  "How  much  farther  to  Sonora "  (the 
place  where  we  are  to  dine),  and  the  patience  of  that  worthy 
must  be  sorely  tried.  However,  all  drives,  even  the  most 
uninteresting,  have  an  end;  and  just  before  noon  we  drive 
into  our  wished-for  village,  where,  waiting  for  dinner,  we 
happen   upon  an  old  Harvard  graduate  of  the  class  of  '52,  who 


34  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

has  drifted  out  into  this  part  of  the  country,  and,  for  the 
sake  of  our  Alma  Mater,  insists  upon  showing  us  all  the 
hospitality  the  place  affords.  We  soon  see  that  nothing  gives 
him  so  much  pleasure  as  recounting  his  long-past  college  ex- 
periences; and  we  listen  with  interest  while  he  tells  laughable 
anecdotes  of  his  classmates,  some  of  whom  we  have  learned 
to  look  upon  with  all  the  solemn  veneration  due  from  an  un- 
dergraduate to  an  instructor. 

AVe  resume  our  journey,  passing  all  the  afternoon  through 
small  mining  towns  and  scattered  settlements,  and  at  seven 
o'clock  we  come  to  the  foot  of  a  high  mountain,  and,  after  giving 
our  horses  a  good  rest,  begin  the  ascent.  The  road  runs  for  the 
entire  way  along  the  edge  of  a  very  deep  chasm,  which  separates 
this  mountain  from  its  neighbor.  At  last  we  reach  the  summit, 
and  draw  up  before  a  little  hotel  kept  by  a  thrifty  Scotchman 
and  his  wife,  —  the  man  an  old  "  Forty-niner,"  who  has  become 
a  thorough  Californian.  A  most  enjoyable  contrast  is  this 
house  to  our  other  stopping-places  along  the  road.  The  fresh- 
est eggs,  the  most  delicious  bread  and  butter,  together  with 
the  very  whitest  table-linen,  refresh  us  physically  and  mentally. 
The  house,  from  the  proprietor,  is  called  Priest's,  and,  cer- 
tainly, its  ministrations  are  not  in  vain.  After  tea  we  sit  out 
on  the  little  piazza,  on  a  level  with  the  various  mountain-peaks 
around  us,  and  witness  a  very  beautiful  sunset,  the  clearness 
of  the  air  greatly  enhancing  the  loveliness  of  the  picture.  The 
sun,  a  great  molten  mass,  slowly  sinks  behind  a  curtain  of  pink 


SALT  LAKE   CITY  TO   THE   YOSEMITE    VALLEY.     35 

and  gray ;  soon  the  pink  disappears,  the  gray  deepens  into  a 
dark  blue  border,  the  stars  shine  out  one  by  one,  night-hawks 
fly  rapidly  to  and  fro,  and  night  has  begun. 

July  22.  —  We  are  on  our  way  again  at  six  o'clock,  and,  hav- 
ing stopped  at  the  usual  mining  town  for  dinner,  find  ourselves 
at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  beyond  which  lies  the  Yosemite 
Valley.  We  intend  to  pass  the  night  on  the  summit  of  the 
mountain,  and  enter  the  valley  to-morrow.  We  continue  our 
journey  at  4  P.  M.,  and  almost  at  once  begin  the  ascent.  As 
the  wagon  winds  wearily  up  the  road,  I  alight  for  a  walk,  and, 
having  distanced  my  friends  by  about  a  mile,  I  throw  myself 
under  a  tree  by  the  side  of  the  road,  and,  regardless  of  rattle- 
snakes (which  are  plenty  in  the  vicinity),  lie  still,  struck  with 
the  silence  and  solitude  of  the  forest.  The  wind  murmurs 
pleasantly  in  the  pines ;  a  little  mountain  stream  gurgles  over 
the  rocks  strewn  in  its  way ;  the  sharp  chatter  of  a  squirrel  is 
soothed  by  the  gentle  cooing  of  a  dove ;  I  can  almost  believe 
that  I  have  strayed  into  the  actual  "  forest  primeval."  A  very 
prosaic-looking  wagon,  however,  with  four  jaded  horses,  appears 
and  recalls  me  to  the  presence  of  my  fellow-men.  We  reach 
the  top  of  the  mountain  and  a  little  settlement  called  "  Crane's 
Flat"  at  seven  o'clock,  and  soon  after  supper  seek  sleep,  lulled 
by  the  melodious  voice  of  a  tame  "billy-goat,"  who  continu- 
ally haunts  our  neighborhood. 


36  DOTTING  S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 


CHAPTER    III. 

FROM  THE  YOSEMITE  VALLEY  TO   THE  PACIFIC  OCEAN. 

Excursions    in    the    Yosemite.  —  Stockton    to    San   Francisco.  —  The 
"Chinese  Quarter."  —  Embarkation  for  Japan. 

July  23.  —  "We  rise  early,  and  immediately  after  breakfast 
continue  our  journey,  eager  to  accomplish  the  descent  of  the 
mountain  and  behold  the  long-sought-for  Yosemite.  The  road 
down  the  mountain  is  frightfully  precipitous,  and  we  congratu- 
late ourselves  on  having  so  careful  a  driver.  On  a  sharp  turn 
of  the  road,  on  the  very  edge  of  a  deep  chasm,  we  meet  the 
regular  stage-coach  coming  up  out  of  the  valley,  and  only  the 
most  scientific  steering  puts  us  by  in  safety.  Soon  after  this 
we  reach  level  ground,  and  are  actually  in  the  valley,  with  the 
grand  mountains  towering  on  all  sides,  and  even  in  the  first 
sight  feel  repaid  for  the  various  discomforts  of  the  previous 
days. 

"Yosemite  is  an  Indian  word,  which  means  'large  grizzly 
bear.'  The  valley  is  a  deep  and  wide  fissure  or  gorge  in  the 
Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  within  about  twenty-five  miles  of 
their  very  topmost  crest,  and  lying  nearly  due  east  from 
San  Francisco.  It  is  a  little  over  seven  miles  in  length  by 
half  a  mile  to  a  mile  and  a  quarter  in  width.     Its  total  area 


YO SEMITE    VALLEY  TO    THE  PACIFIC   OCEAN.       37 

comprises  8,480  acres,  3,109  of  which  are  meadow-land.  The 
entire  grant  to  the  State  was  30,111  acres,  and  includes  one 
mile  back  of  the  edge  of  the  precipice  throughout  its  whole 
circumference. 

"The  altitude  of  the  bottom  or  meadow-land  of  the  valley 
is  4,000  feet  above  the  sea ;  while  on  either  side  the  walls  — 
which  are  of  beautiful  gray  granite  of  many  shades  —  rise  to 
the  height  of  from  3,300  to  5,300  feet  above  the  meadow,  and 
are  of  every  conceivable  shape.  Over  these  grand  old  walls 
leap  numerous  waterfalls,  from  350  to  3,300  feet  in  height,  and 
in  forms  of  inexpressible  beauty  that  change  with  every  instant, 
or  are  changed  by  every  breeze  that  plays  and  toys  with  them. 
A  remarkably  picturesque  and  beautiful  river,  —  the  Merced,  — 
full  of  delicious  trout,  and  clear  as  crystal,  runs  through  it, 
and  then  roars  and  plunges  down  an  almost  impassable  canon, 
entering  the  San  Joaquin  River  about  sixty  miles  south  of  the 
city  of  Stockton.  Patches  and  stretches  of  fertile  meadow, 
covered  with  ferns  and  flowers  and  grasses  in  almost  endless 
beauty  and  variety,  open  at  intervals  on  both  sides  of  the 
stream,  their  margins  set  with  flowering-shrubs  which,  in  early 
summer  fill  the  air  with  perfume.  Deciduous  and  evergreen 
trees  —  from  the  shade-giving  oak  to  the  stately  pine  —  form 
picturesque  groups  over  valley  and  river;  in  places  presenting 
long  vistas  that  seem  like  frames  to  many  glorious  pictures. 

"The  general  course  of  the  Yosemite  is  northeasterly  and 
southwesterly,  —  a  fortunate  circumstance  indeed,  as  it  permits 

S  5  0  3  9 


38  BOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

the  delightfully  invigorating  northwest  breeze  from  the  Pacific 
to  sweep  pleasantly  through  it,  and  keep  it  exceedingly  tem- 
perate on  the  hottest  of  days ;  and  permits  the  sun  to  look  into 
it  from  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  until  half  past  four  in  the 
afternoon,  in  summer,  instead  of  only  an  hour  or  two,  were  it 
otherwise.  In  winter,  however,  the  sun  does  not  rise  upon  the 
hotels  till  half  past  one  in  the  afternoon,  and  sets  at  half  past 
three." 

We  drive  at  once  to  the  Yosemite  Hotel,  —  formerly  Hutch- 
ings's, — and  as  we  have  previously  telegraphed  for  saddle-horses, 
we  mount  directly  (as  our  time  in  the  valley  is  limited),  and 
start  with  a  guide  for  Snow's  to  see  the  Vernal  and  Nevada 
Falls.  The  trail,  prepared  by  a  man  named  Snow,  —  the  pio- 
neer of  this  spot,  —  winds  precipitately  up  the  mountain-side, 
and  the  ascent  occupies  about  three  hours,  the  party  necessarily 
riding  single-file.  After  enjoying  a  magnificent  view,  as  we 
rise  higher  and  higher,  we  come,  about  noon,  into  full  sight 
of  the  Vernal  Fall,  four  hundred  feet  in  descent,  the  Indian 
inane  of  which  is  "  Pi-wa-ack,"  —  Cataract  of  Diamonds.  The 
guide  restrains  our  expressions  of  delight  by  telling  us  to  "wait 
till  we  see  the  Nevada  Fall."  So,  pressing  on,  we  soon  emerge 
on  to  a  little  1  nidge  crossing  a  rushing  stream,  and,  looking  up, 
we  see  directly  opposite  us  the  great  Nevada  Fall,  seven  hun- 
dred feet  in  descent,  pouring  itself  over  a  smooth  perpendicular 
rock,  while  clouds  of  spray  rise  continually  upwards  and  float 
gracefully  away.  The  Indian  name  of  this  magnificent  water- 
fall is  "  Yo-wi-ye,"  —  Meandering. 


YOSEMITE    VALLEY   TO    TLLE  PACIFIC   OCEAN.        39 

Near  the  foot  of  the  falls  is  a  little  hotel,  kept  by  Mr.  Snow. 
Having  dined  here,  and  having  thoroughly  explored  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  falls,  Ave  retrace  our  steps  down  the  mountain 
with  the  aid  of  our  horses,  and  reach  the  Yosemite  Valley  about 
five  o'clock.  The  little  mountain-ponies  are  remarkably  sure- 
footed, and  but  for  this  the  descent  of  these  mountain  trails 
would  be  attended  with  great  danger;  for  the  track  runs,  as 
I  have  said,  along  the  very  edge  of  a  deep  chasm,  and  in 
some  places  a  stumble  of  your  pony  would  hurl  you  far  down 
on  to  the  rocks  below.  Frequently,  on  arriving  at  a  turn 
in  the  road,  which  was,  for  some  little  distance,  perpendic- 
ular in  descent,  our  horses  would  plant  their  feet  firmly  on 
the  ground,  and,  like  the  mules  of  the  Alps,  slide  down 
swiftly  to  the  more  level  ground  below ;  the  high  pommels  of 
our  Mexican  saddles  proving  of  decided  advantage  meanwhile. 

We  have  arrived  a  day  too  late  to  witness  the  ceremonies 
attendant  on  the  opening  of  a  new  road  into  the  valley  from 
Mariposa ;  but  the  ball  of  the  evening  before  is  repeated,  and, 
to  the  destruction  of  our  slumbers,  the  peculiar  "  music "  of 
the  band  is  continued  unceasingly  till  morning. 

July  2Jh  —  We  breakfast  at  six  o'clock,  and  at  seven  o'clock 
have  mounted  our  ponies  and  are  on  our  way  to  Glacier 
Point,  —  a  very  lofty  peak  from  which  a  grand  general  view  Of  the 
whole  valley,  with  its  surrounding  mountains,  can  be  obtained. 
Our  road,  as  before,  lies  directly  up  the  side  of  the  precipice, 
and  after  ascending  for  about  an   hour,  we  come  to  a  turn  in 


40  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

the  path,  from  which  we  can  look  across  the  valley  to  the 
beautiful  Yosemite  Falls,  three  in  number,  the  first  being 
sixteen  hundred  feet  in  descent,  the  second  five  hundred  and 
thirty-four  feet,  and  the  third  five  hundred  feet.  Proceeding 
upwards  again,  we  soon  come  to  the  "  half-way  spot,"  —  a  flat 
ledge  of  rocks,  near  which  is  Agassiz's  Pillar.  This  is  an 
upright  mass  of  stone,  about  thirty  feet  high,  standing  on  the 
very  edge  of  the  precipice.  After  resting  for  a  few  minutes, 
we  continue  our  journey,  and  arrive,  about  eleven  o'clock,  at 
Glacier  Point,  where  we  dismount,  leaving  our  horses  tied 
to  a  tree. 

Glacier  Point,  the  Indian  name  of  which  is  "  Er-na-ting 
Low-oo-too,"  or  Bearskin  Mountain",  is  a  peak  three  thousand 
one  hundred  feet  above  the  valley,  into  which  its  side  descends 
almost  perpendicularly.  The  top  is  broad  and  fiat,  and  from 
it  the  eye  can  review  all  the  chief  points  of  interest  in  the 
Yosemite ;  on  this  account  a  spot  which  should  be  visited 
especially  by  those  whose  time  is  limited.  From  here  may 
be  seen  the  Yosemite,  Vernal,  and  Nevada  Falls,  looking  like 
mere  ribbons  of  water  far  below ;  here  also  one  is  in  the 
immediate  neighborhood  of  all  the  principal  peaks,  —  Half 
Dome,  five  thousand  three  hundred  feet  high ;  Cloud's  Piest, 
six  thousand  feet;  North  Dome,  three  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet ;  Mt.  Starr  King,  five  thousand  feet ; 
The  Three  Brothers,  four  thousand  two  hundred  feet ;  El 
Capitan,  three  thousand  three  hundred  feet;   and  many  others. 


YOSEMITE    VALLEY  TO   THE  PACIFIC  OCEAX.      41 

Over  the  brow  of  the  Point  a  flat  ledge  thrusts  itself 
forward,  and  tourists  with  cool  heads  crawl  out,  and,  lyin£ 
flat,  look  far,  far  down  to  the  valley  below,  —  a  feat  which 
should  not  be  attempted  by  every  one. 

Before  leaving  Glacier  Point  we  have  the  pleasure  of 
being  introduced  to  General  Upton  and  Major  Sanger,  U.  S.  A., 
who,  with  another  officer  whom  they  are  to  join  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, are  sent  out  by  our  government  on  a  tour  of  the  world, 
to  inspect  the  military  forces  of  the  various  countries;  and 
we  are  much  pleased  to  learn  that  they  will  be  our  fellow- 
passengers  across  the  Pacific.  Leaving  Glacier  Point,  we 
return  to  the  hotel  for  an  early  dinner,  and  at  four  o'clock 
bid  farewell  to  the  Yosemite,  and  ascending  a  neighboring 
mountain,  sleep  once  more  on  the  summit  at  Crane's  Flats. 

July  25.  —  We  make  an  early  start,  and,  retracing  our 
steps,  arrive,  after  a  long  day's  drive,  at  Priest's,  where  we 
are  welcomed  as  cordially  as  before.  On  our  way  we  pass 
some  of  the  immense  cones  of  the  sugar-pine,  several  very 
fine  specimens  of  which  we  carry  along  with  us  in  the  wagon. 
As  we  have  taken  the  precaution  to  procure  a  good  supply 
of  ice  in  the  Yosemite  Valley,  we  do  not  suffer  so  much 
with  the  heat  as  before. 

July  20. —  As  the  day  promises  to  be  very  hot,  we  start 
at  4  a.m.,  in  order  to  re'ach  Copperopolis  —  our  halting- 
place  for  the  night  —  before  the  sun  has  attained  its  full 
power.     We  have  decided  to  stop    at  Copperopolis,  as  it  con- 


42  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

tains  a  very  comfortable  hotel,  and  drive  to  Milton  to-morrow, 
for  there  is  only  one  train  a  day  —  at  10.30  A.  M.  —  from  Mil- 
ton to  Stockton  and  San  Francisco.  We  reach  Copperopolis 
at  eleven  o'clock,  and  drive  at  once  to  the  quiet  family  hotel 
erected  by  the  firm  of  Glidden  and  Williams  of  Boston,  prin- 
cipally for  their  own  accommodation  when  visiting  their 
extensive  copper-mines  situated  near  by ;  but  as  the  mines 
at  present  are  not  worked,  the  house,  excellently  kept,  re- 
ceives tourists  coming  from  the  Yosemite,  who  are  so  fortu- 
nate as  to  direct  their  steps  thither  instead  of  going  to  the 
regular  hotel  of  the  town. 

On  our  arrival  at  Copperopolis  we  are  surprised  to  hear 
that  the  stage-coach,  which  has  just  entered  the  town  by  a 
different  road  from  ours,  but  one  almost  parallel  to  it  and 
at  no  great  distance  off,  was  stopped  near  the  Tuolumne 
River,  about  four  o'clock  this  morning,  by  a  masked  robber, 
who  appeared  suddenly  from  behind  some  bushes  near  a  turn 
of  the  road,  and  who,  bringing  a  double-barrelled  gun  to  bear 
on  the  occupants  of  the  stage,  demanded  the  express-box  of 
Wells,  Fargo,  &  Co.,  assuring  those  in  the  stage  (as  well  as 
the  occupants  of  a  private  team,  similar  to  our  own,  which 
was  immediately  behind)  that  nothing  further  was  desired. 
Besides  the  shot-gun,  the  robber  was  armed  with  a  Sharpe 
rifle  slung  across  his  shoulders;  but  as  there  were  eight  revolv- 
ers in  the  stage-coach  and  six  in  the  team  behind,  it  seems 
almost   incredible   that    somebody   did   not   shoot  the   robber, 


YO SEMITE    VALLEY  TO    THE  PACIFIC  OCEAX.       43 

since  it  is  not  likely  that  his  gun  covered  everybody.  It  was 
urged,  however,  in  excuse,  that  all  were  afraid  that  the  rob- 
ber, if  shot,  would  discharge  his  gun  in  falling,  and  thus 
endanger  the  lives  of  several  of  the  party,  —  an  argument 
which  I  have  been  told  by  a  military  man  is  groundless,  as 
the  muscles  of  a  man  shot  are  suddenly  and  completely  re- 
laxed. 

July  27.  —  We  leave  Copperopolis  at  seven  o'clock,  reach 
Milton  at  9.15,  and  taking  the  train  from  there  at  10.30, 
arrive  at  Stockton  at  noon,  and,  after  waiting  about  an  hour, 
join  the  regular  express  from  the  East,  and  continue  our 
journey  on  the  Central  Pacific  Eailroad  to  San  Francisco. 

We  roll  swiftly  along  through  broad  fields  of  thick  grain, 
by  well-stocked  orchards,  and  past  prosperous  farm-houses. 
The  heat  is  intense.  At  five  o'clock  we  reach  Oakland,  the 
actual  terminus  of  the  railroad,  and,  leaving  the  cars,  em- 
bark on  an  immense  ferry-boat  which  is  to  carry  us  to  San 
Francisco.  Here  we  find  a  great  change  in  the  temperature. 
A  thin  mist  is  about  us,  the  air  is  cold,  and  overcoats  are 
necessary.  We  have  plunged,  in  an  hour,  from  the  heat  of 
summer  into  the  bluster  of  March.  The  peculiar  costume  of 
the  West  is  now  rarely  seen.  The  dress  of  the  ladies  is 
tasteful  and  stylish;  that  of  the  men,  strictly  fashionable. 
A  cosmopolitan  air  is  over  everything.  After  moving  rapidly 
through  the  water  fur  about  twenty  minutes,  we  see  dimly 
through  the  mist   a   large   city  rising  from  the  shore  t-<>   the 


44  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

summit  of  a  broad  hill  In  a  moment  more  we  have  left 
the  boat  and  are  in  the  midst  of  a  crowd  of  vociferating 
hackmen  in  the  city  of  San  Francisco.  We  arrive  at  the 
Occidental  Hotel  in  time  for  dinner. 

July  28. —  The  first  house  built  in  San  Francisco  —  then, 
however,  called  Yerba  Buena  —  was  in  1835.  The  city  became 
San  Francisco  in  1847,  and  now  contains  about  175,000  inhabi- 
tants, and  enjoys  a  climate  noted  for  uniformity  and  dryness, 
—  the  rain-fall  being  about  half  that  of  the  Eastern  States. 
Owing  to  the  great  fires  which  visited  the  city  from  1849  - 1853, 
San  Francisco  is  now  largely  built  of  brick,  stone,  or  iron, 
particularly  in  the  business  portion.  The  city  has  many  fine 
private  residences,  is  amply  supplied  with  schools,  both  public 
and  private,  and  contains  several  theatres,  and  forty-six  churches 
of  various  denominations,  including  several  Chinese  joss-houses.* 

We  go  this  morning  to  the  Bank  of  California  to  obtain  my 
letters,  which  I  have  ordered  to  be  sent  thither,  and  to  present  a 
letter  of  introduction  to  Mr.  William  C.  Ralston,  the  president. 
Arrived  at  the  commodious  quarters  of  the  bank,  we  hand 
our  cards  and  the  letter  to  Mr.  Ralston,  who  immediately  re- 
ceives us  with  great  politeness,  and  after  talking  with  us  for  a 
short  time,  and  urging  us  to  make  use  of  him  in  any  way  we 
desire,  he  complains  of  the  press  of  business,  and  introduces 
us  to  Mr.  Brown,  the  under  chief.  Mr.  Brown  extracts  from 
a  pigeon-hole  a  gratifying  budget   of  letters   for   me    (F 

*  See  Crofutt's  Tourist. 


YOSEMITE    VALLEY  TO   THE  PACIFIC  OCEAN.        45 

expects  his  at  Mr.  C.  Adolphe  Low's),  and  proceeds  to  converse 
with  us  in  regard  to  affairs  in  the  East. 

Standing  in  Mr.  Italston's  private  office  and  overlooking  the 
multitude  of  clerks  busily  engaged  with  the  affairs  of  the  bank, 
one  cannot  but  be  impressed  with  the  evident  extent  of  the 
business,  the  diversity  of  its  branches,  and  the  power  of  the  one 
master  mind  which  regulates  the  whole.* 

Having  presented  a  letter  of  introduction  to  Mr.  C.  Adolphe 
Low  (who  assures  us  of  his  regret  that  his  town-house  is  closed 
for  the  summer),  we  spend  the  rest  of  the  day  in  walking  qui- 
etly about  the  city.  Montgomery  Street,  devoted  to  banks  and 
bankers,  contains  many  fine  buildings.  The  same  feverish  haste 
which  I  noticed  in  Chicago  animates  the  people  here.  Tall, 
keen-looking  men  rush  frantically  by,  with  an  expression  of 
anxiety  on  their  faces.  They  elbow  their  way  past  each  other 
as  a  matter  of  course,  and  give  one  the  impression  that  with 
them  the  race  for  the  almighty  dollar  is  verily  one  against  time, 
and  the  Devil  take  the  hindmost. 

At  the  upper  end  of  Montgomery  Street  the  houses  rise  to 
the  top  of  a  hill  so  steep  that  no  carriages  can  ascend  it.  A 
flight  of  steps  assists  foot-passengers.  From  the  summit  a  fine 
view  of  the  city  and  harbor  can  be  obtained.     Many  of  the 

*  No  one  could  have  supposed,  from  merely  observing  the  exterior  of  things, 
that  a  great  crisis  was  at  hand.  Mr.  Ralston  himself  looked  perfectly  calm  and 
composed,  and,  except  that  he  had  not  yet  moved  to  his  country  place,  no  change 
had  been  made  in  his  mode  of  life  or  his  usual  habits. 


46  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

private  dwellings  are  large  and  well  built,  while  the  first-class 
hotels  have  few  superiors  even  in  New  York  City.  The  climate 
especially  surprises  me.  In  the  middle  of  summer  I  find  here 
the  sharpness  of  fall. 

July  29.  —  Soon  after  breakfast  we  engage  a  carriage  and 
set  out  for  the  Cliff  House.  This  is  a  little  hotel  (somewhat 
like  Taft's  at  Point  Shirley,  near  Boston),  situated  about  six 
miles  west  of  the  city,  on  the  shore  of  the  Pacific,  near  which 
are  to  be  seen  (and  heard)  the  famous  sea-lions.  Soon  after 
leaving  the  hotel  we  enter  the  city's  well-kept  Park,  and  pass 
by  several  beautiful  cemeteries,  containing  the  monuments  of 
Senator  Broderick,  Starr  King,  Baker,  and  others.  On  the  sum- 
mit of  Lone  Mountain,  near  by,  is  a  large  cross,  a  well-known 
landmark,  which  can  be  seen  from  far  out  at  sea.  Our  road 
presently  climbs  a  hill,  and  beneath  us  we  see,  on  our  right,  the 
Golden  Gate,  "  always  open  and  inviting  all  nations  to  enter," 
but  protected  by  a  strong  United  States  fort  on  the  left-hand 
side.  Soon  we  reach  the  Cliff  House  ;  and  even  before  we  have 
alighted  we  hear  the  peculiar  roaring  of  the  sea-lions,  who  are 
continually  jumping  on  and  off  a  mass  of  rocks  not  far  from  the 
hotel.  These  animals  look  somewhat  like  seals,  but  are  much 
larger,  the  biggest,  called  "  General  Grant,"  being  estimated  to 
weigh  three  thousand  pounds !  Their  cry  is  harsh  and  peculiar, 
somewhat  resembling  the  syllables  "  Yoi-hoi-Boyi,"  which  is  said 
to  mean  (from  the  name  of  the  champion),  "  Let  us  have  peace." 
Immense  numbers  of  sea-fowl  are  perpetually  hovering  round 


YOSEMITE    VALLEY   TO    THE  PACIFIC   OCEAX.        47 

the  rocks,  apparently  on  perfectly  good  terms  with  their  larger 
neighbors ;  while  the  broad  Pacific,  stretching  for  away,  with  the 
many  different  crafts  passing  in  and  out  of  the  Golden  Gate, 
forms  a  picture  well  worth  coming  to  see. 

On  our  return  to  the  city  we  enter  a  horse-car  and  ride  to 
"Woodward  Gardens,  situated  quite  near  the  centre  of  the  city. 
These  gardens,  which  occupy  about  five  acres  of  ground,  contain 
specimens  of  almost  every  bird,  beast,  and  fish  under  the  sun. 
They  are  owned  by  R  B.  Woodward,  Esq.,  and  "  were  laid  out 
in  18G0  for  private  use,  but  were  thrown  open  to  the  public  in 
the  early  days  of  the  war,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Sanitary  Fund, 
and  in  I860  were  opened  permanently."  The  gardens  are  well 
worth  a  visit,  the  most  interesting  part  to  me  being  the  trout 
aquarium,  admirably  arranged  and  most  successfully  admin- 
istered. Eare  plants,  wonderful  birds,  and  many  varieties  of 
animals  occupy  the  visitor  for  a  full  hour  in  a  hasty  survey, 
while  much  more  time  could  be  profitably  and  enjoyably  spent 
in  careful  investigation. 

July  30.  —  As  our  steamer  is  to  sail  for  Japan  August  2,  we 
occupy  the  day  in  making  some  final  preparations  for  the 
voyage.  In  the  evening  we  receive  a  call  from  Mr.  Edward 
Simmons,  a  college  friend  and  Eastern  man,  who  is  in  business 
in  the  city. 

.//'///  .,7.  —  After  a  day  passed  quietly,  at  10  p.  m.  we  meet,  by 

appointment,  Colonel  A ,  a  detective  officer,  who  has  beeu 

employed  by  the  city  fur  over  twenty  years,  who  has  promised 


48  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

to  take  us  through  the  Chinese  Quarter,  assuring  us  at  the 
same  time  that  we  must  expect  the  most  disagreeable  sights 
and  the  roughest  surroundings.  Leaving  the  main  streets  of 
the  city,  we  arrive,  before  long,  at  the  portion  entirely  inhabited 
by  Chinese,  and  are  at  once  in  the  midst  of  a  chattering  crowd 
of  these  foreigners,  who  are  continually  entering  or  leaving  their 
various  places  of  assembly  along  the  way.  Low,  curious-looking 
buildings  are  on  all  sides,  many  hung  with  Chinese  lanterns,  or 
bearing  large  signs,  which,  with  their  odd  figures  and  characters, 
give  a  strange  air  to  everything  about  us.  Our  guide  conducts 
us  up  the  street  and,  pausing  at  the  foot  of  a  dark,  villanous- 
looking  flight  of  stairs,  leads  the  ascent,  we  following  close 
behind.  At  the  top  of  the  stairs  we  find  a  sort  of  hall,  at  the 
end  of  which  are  two  large  folding-doors,  the  entrance  to  the 
joss-house,  or  temple.  The  detective  enters  without  ceremony, 
and  shutting  the  doors  after  us,  lights  a  candle  at  a  small  fire 
burning  before  a  hideous  idol  directly  opposite  the  entrance, 
and  pauses  a  moment  to  let  us  look  about  the  curious  chamber. 
By  the  light  of  the  candle  we  see  we  are  in  a  large  room 
hung  with  various  kinds  of  gaudy  ornaments,  round  the  sides 
of  which,  in  alcoves,  are  standing  idols  representing  different 
Chinese  deities,  each  one  resting  on  a  sort  of  throne,  while  a 
lamp  burns  dimly  before  all.  The  room  is  so  long  and  wide 
that  it  is  dark, 

"Save  where  the  lamps  that  glimmered  few  and  faint, 
Lighted  a  little  .space  hefore  some  saint." 


YOSEMITE    VALLEY  TO   THE  PACIFIC  OCEAN.        49 

Opposite  the  entrance  are  the  gods  of  Fire,  Air,  and  Earth ;  near 
by  sits  the  god  of  Commerce  ;  while  apart  from  the  rest,  shrouded 
in  white  garments,  stands  a  melancholy  looking  figure,  —  the 
deity  who  disposes  of  the  soul  after  death.  Every  good  China- 
man, on  the  death  of  a  relative  or  dear  friend,  feels  obliged  to 
make  some  present  to  this  god,  in  order  to  secure  good  treat- 
ment for  the  soul  of  his  departed  brother ;  and  we  find  some 
food,  consisting  of  a  thin  wafer  of  bread,  thrown  down  before 
the  god,  who  evidently  has  not  been  hungry  since  its  arrival. 

After  paying  our  respects  —  if  I  may  use  the  word  here  — 
to  the  different  silent  divinities,  we  leave  the  joss-house,  and 
retrace  our  steps  through  the  dark  alley  which  leads  to  the 
street.  "We  see  two  men,  of  suspicious  and  repulsive  appear- 
ance, standing  in  close  conversation  in  the  middle  of  the  lane. 
The  detective  gazes  at  them  earnestly,  but  the  darkness  is  so 
thick  about  us  that  it  is  only  by  peering  directly  into  their 
faces  that  he  can  satisfy  himself  as  to  their  identity.  One  look 
is  enough.  He  smiles  grimly,  says  a  word  to  them  in  a  low 
tone ;  they  pull  their  hats  over  their  eyes  and  disappear  in  the 
darkness.  "Who  are  those?"  I  inquire.  "Two  of  the  most 
dangerous  men  in  San  Francisco,"  lit;  answers,  "but  I  know 
them  well,  and  can  trace  them  like  a  dog."  We  go  now  to  an 
opium-den  situated  in  a  street  near  by.  Descending  a  ilight  of 
stairs,  and  going  along  a  narrow  passage  leading  under  the 
street,  we  enter  a  small  room  lighted  by  several  oil  lamps  and 
full  of  the  peculiar  smoke  from  the  opium-pipes.     The  room  is 


50  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

lined  with  bunks  arranged,  berth-fashion,  along  the  sides  of  the 
walls ;  and  upon  these  are  lying,  one  over  another,  about  a  dozen 
Chinamen,  some  smoking  opium,  while  others,  with  their  pipes 
fallen  beside  them,  are  far  away  in  the  ecstatic  dream-world, 
free  from  the  remembrance  of  care  or  toil.  The  faces  of  these 
have  a  look  of  most  perfect  repose,  as  if  every  unpleasant 
thought,  recollection,  or  expectation  has  been  forever  annihi- 
lated. Their  features,  however,  are  sunken :  they  resemble  the 
dead. 

Our  party  takes  a  pull  at  one  of  the  pipes,  and  soon  after  we 
follow  our  conductor  to  a  little  hut,  "  where,"  says  he,  "  I  will 
show  you  what  amount  of  air  is  necessary  to  keep  a  Chinaman 
alive."  At  the  end  of  a  foul  alley  we  enter  a  little  house 
containing  one  room,  with  one  window  securely  fastened  and 
entirely  closed,  the  only  entrance  to  the  room  being  a  swinging- 
door  which  shuts  after  each  one  who  enters.  We  are  almost 
stifled  by  the  horrible  closeness  of  the  atmosphere,  which  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at,  for,  with  the  window  thus  always  fastened, 
the  only  fresh  air  that  enters  is  brought  in  when  some  one 
(•nines  in  or  goes  out  by  the  swinging  door;  and  around  the 
room,  on  their  peculiar  bunks,  are  lying  eight  men,  besides  a 
sad  object  in  the  midst,  —  a  man  sick  with  the  leprosy.  Many 
lamps  and  pipes  are  continually  vitiating  the  air,  and  we  are 
all  obliged  to  beat  a  hasty  retreat  in  order  to  draw  our  breath  ! 
"We  go  next  to  the  Chinese  thea'tre,  —  a  small  building  full  of 
plain    wooden   benches,  with  a  little  gallery  overhead.      The 


YO SEMITE    VALLEY  TO   THE  PACIFIC  OCEAN.      5 1 

scenery  is  of  the  very  commonest  character,  the  stage  being 
adorned  with  cheap  curtains,  red  joss-paper,  and  curious  Chi- 
nese inscriptions.  The  orchestra  sit  at  the  back  of  the  stage, 
facing  the  audience,  and  keep  up  the  most  incessant  din  of 
gongs,  drums,  and  trumpets  I  have  ever  heard.  The  perform- 
ance is  largely  made  up  of  tumbling,  of  a  very  excellent  and 
remarkable  quality,  interspersed  with  long  processions  of  kings 
and  queens,  gods  and  goddesses,  and  the  like.  The  players 
speak  in  a  very  high  and  disagreeable  key.  The  "property- 
man"  perambulates  the  stage  continually,  now  picking  up  a 
mask  which  some  actor  has  thrown  down,  now  handing  a  false 
beard  to  another,  with  which  to  "  disguise  "  himself.  The  audi- 
ence do  not  seem  to  object  to  the  absence  of  illusion.  They  sit 
silent  for  the  most  part;  but  when  the  orchestra  succeed  in 
making  a  peculiarly  harsh  sound,  or  a  player  an  astonishingly 
hideous  grimace,  a  ripple  of  shrill  laughter  runs  through  the 
assembly,  and  the  next  moment  they  are  as  grave  and  stolid 
as  before.  The  play  lasts  from  four  o'clock  of  the  afternoon  till 
daybreak  of  the  following  morning. 

"We  now  visit  a  small  house  where  we  are  initiated  into  the 
mysteries  of  the  gambling  game  called  "white-pigeon-paper." 
Every  player  as  he  enters  receives  a  square  piece  of  paper,  upon 
which  are  printed  various  figures  and  characters.  The  banker, 
taking  a  piece  similarly  marked,  puts  a  red  stamp  on  twenty  of 
these  characters  which  he  selects  privately,  the  other  players, 
of  course,  not  being  shown  the  different  figures  or  squares  which 


52  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

he  has  determined  upon.  When  the  banker  has  marked  his 
slip,  the  other  players'  endeavor  to  select  the  same  twenty 
squares  which  the  banker  has  chosen,  and  so  accurately  do  they 
calculate  that  they  are  required  to  find  ten  squares  before 
receiving  anything  for  their  pains.  If  a  Chinaman  hits  upon 
eleven  of  the  squares  that  the  banker  has  marked,  he  will 
receive  from  the  bank  the  same  sum  that  he  staked  upon  the 
play;  if  he  marks  twelve  squares  correctly,  he  receives  twice 
his  original  stake ;  and  so  on.  If  they  do  not  mark  at  least 
ten  squares  correctly,  their  stake  is  forfeited.  This  game  is 
played  continually  throughout  the  whole  Chinese  Quarter. 

It  is  now  long  after  midnight.  Our  guide  conducts  us  to 
the  broader  streets  of  the  city,  away  from  the  Chinese  Quar- 
ter, and  leaves  us.  We  soon  arrive  at  the  Occidental  Hotel, 
and  go  at  once  to  bed. 

August  1.  —  We  pass  the  day  in  writing  farewell  letters. 
In  the  evening  I  dine  with  Colonel  H.  P.  Curtis,  Judge  Ad- 
vocate of  the  Department. 

August  ..'.  —  The    Great  Republic  is   advertised    to    sail    at 

noon,  and  an  hour  before  that  time  F and  I  have  come 

on  board,  and  have  stowed  our  trunks  in  our  state-room,  in 
readiness  for  our  long  voyage.  As  the  hour  for  sailing  ap- 
proaches, the  ship  is  crowded  with  friends  of  the  passengers, 
who  have  come  to  say  farewell;  and  the  number  keeps  con- 
tinually increasing,  till  the  gong  sounds,  warning  all  who  are 
not  to  sail  to  go  ashore.     Promptly  at  twelve  o'clock  Captain 


YOSEMITE    VALLEY  TO    THE  PACIFIC  OCEAX.       53 

Cobb  takes  his  stand  on  the  "  bridge " ;  the  ropes  are  cast 
off,  the  immense  walking-beam  starts  into  motion,  and,  amidst 
farewell  shouts  and  waving  handkerchiefs,  the  great  steamer 
slowly  backs  out  from  the  wharf,  the  paddle-wheels  strike  the 
water,  and  we  move  away  from  America.  Our  farewell  gun 
is  fired,  a  tug  throws  us  its  line,  and  we  are  soon  opposite 
the  United  States  fort  near  the  city,  where  we  lay  to,  and 
take  on  board  three  naval  officers  and  one  hundred  seamen 
from  a  man-of-war  anchored  near  by,  whom  we  are  to  carry 
to  China.  Then  the  tug  shrieks  its  farewell,  we  reply  with 
shrill  blasts  of  our  whistle,  our  chief-engineer  gives  the  signal 
to  "  unhook  her,"  and  we  are  fairly  off  for  Japan.  We  pass 
out  of  the  Golden  Gate,  and  past  the  Cliff  House,  and  soon 
a  dense  fog,  rolling  in  from  the  sea,  wreathes  itself  round 
every  portion  of  the  ship,  and  shuts  the  land  from  sight. 
"We  fall  at  once  into  the  miserable  "land-swell";  the  ship 
pitches  terribly ;  the  lady  passengers  retire  to  their  berths, 
while  more  than  one  gentleman  hurries  away  from  the  dinner- 
table  in  silent  communion  with  himself. 


54  DOTTING S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

ACROSS  THE   PACIFIC   TO  JAPAN. 

The    P.   M.   S.   S.   Co.'s    Great  Republic. — My    Fellow-Passengers. — 
The  Long  Sea-Voyage.  —  Arrival  at  Yokohama. 

August  3. — A  cloudless  sky,  a  bright  sun,  and  a  smooth 
ocean  stretching  away  on  every  side,  —  all  this  puts  the  ship's 
company  in  a  far  different  humor  to-day.  The  ladies,  indeed, 
still  remain  in  their  state-rooms,  but  all  the  gentlemen  are  in 
good  spirits,  and  everybody  begins  to  make  each  other's  ac- 
cpiaintance.  The  number  of  passengers  is  between  thirty  and 
forty,  made  up  of  several  nationalities :  four  young  Japanese, 
who  have  just  graduated  at  colleges  in  the  United  States, 
returning  to  their  native  country ;  three  United  States  Army 
officers,  —  Generals  Upton  and  Forsythe,  and  Major  J.  P. 
Sanger,  sent  out  by  our  government,  as  I  have  said  before, 
to  inspect  the  infantry,  cavalry,  and  artillery  in  the  East; 
two  Italian  silk-merchants ;  five  gentlemen  (besides  ourselves), 
making  a  tour  of  the  world ;  the  new  American  consul  for 
Canton,  going  thither  with  his  wife  and  child;  several  Ameri- 
can gentlemen  travelling  on  business;  three  United  States 
naval  officers,  together  with  several  young  men  intending  to 
settle  in  Japan.     Besides   the    one   hundred   sailors  whom  we 


ACROSS  THE  PACIFIC   TO  JAP  AX.  55 

took  aboard  off  San  Francisco,  there  are  three  hundred  Chi- 
nese in  the  steerage;  and  these,  together  with  the  regular  sail- 
ors, officers,  and  cabin-servants,  make  up  a  varied  company 
for  the  long  voyage.  We  have  on  board  also  a  very  fine  pair 
of  horses  and  a  gorgeous  carriage  intended  for  the  Mikado  of 
Japan. 

The  Great  EcpuMic  is  a  side-wheel  steamer  of  four  thousand 
three  hundred  and  twenty-five  tons,  with  capacity  for  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  cabin  passengers,  and  twelve  hundred  in  the 
steerage.  On  board  all  the  boats  of  the  P.  M.  S.  S.  Co.  it  is  the 
custom  to  carry  live  cattle  and  poultry,  which  are  killed  when 
needed;  and  the  consequence  is  that  the  most  varied  chorus 
comes  from  "  between-decks  "  at  all  hours  of  the  day  and  night, 
—  the  lowing  of  cows  mingling  with  the  bleating  of  sheep,  the 
quacking  of  ducks,  and  the  cackling  of  hens.  These  steamers 
are  undoubtedly  the  finest  line  of  ocean  passenger-vessels  in 
the  world.*  The  state-rooms  are  large  and  comfortable ;  the 
dining-cabin  high,  wide,  and  airy;  while  the  long  deck  affords 
B  capital  promenade,  or,  covered  over  with  a  huge  awning, 
is  a  delightful  place  to  read  or  write.  Everything  possible  is 
done  for  the  convenience  and  comfort  of  patrons.  The  table 
is,  on  the  whole,  excellent;  the  meats,  for  the  reason  stated 
above,  being  of  remarkable  flavor  and  quality.  Every  attache 
of  the  ship,  from  lowest  to  highest,  exerts  himself  to  be  accom- 
modating and  polite. 

*   My  subsequent  travel  confirms  this. 


$6  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

Captain  Cobb  (of  Cambridgeport,  Massachusetts)  is  a  man 
of  decided  polish,  a  thorough  seaman,  and  most  agreeable 
talker.  The  first  officer,  though  rather  grave  and  taciturn, 
will  meet  you  half-way  in  conversation,  and  will  always 
prove  interesting.  The  chief  engineer  won  his  place  by  a 
very  brave  act  performed  a  short  time  ago,  when  he  was  in 
an  inferior  position.  Our  purser,  belonging  to  a  well-known 
New  York  family,  dresses  exquisitely,  and  always  looks  as 
if  he  was  just  stepping  out  for  a  promenade  on  Fifth  Avenue. 
The  steward,  a  comfortable  sort  of  personage,  whom  nothing- 
disturbs,  regulates  the  movements  of  the  corps  of  Chinese 
waiters  by  a  tap  of  a  bell,  and  comes  to  our  table  from  time 
to  time  to  inquire  if  we  are  well  served.  In  short,  the  vari- 
ous elements  which  are  around  us,  coalescing  as  they  do,  yet 
being  often  so  utterly  dissimilar,  afford  a  wide  field  for  quiet 
observation  and  amusement. 

The  boats  of  the  P.  M.  S.  S.  Co.  are  not  allowed,  even  if 
they  have  the  most  favorable  passage  imaginable,  to  enter 
the  harbor  of  Yokohama  before  a  certain  number  of  days  after 
leaving  San  Francisco.  And  if,  as  I  have  said,  owing  per- 
haps to  very  favorable1,  winds  and  a  smooth  sea,  a  captain 
arrives  off  Japan  before  twenty-two  days  have  passed  since 
his  departure  from  America,  or  reaches  San  Francisco  on  a 
return  voyage  before  the  specified  time,  he  is  not  allowed  to 
bring  his  ship  into  harbor,  but  must  coast  up  and  down  till 
the  particular  day  has  come ;    and  forty-five  tons  of  coal  is 


ACROSS   THE  PACIFIC   TO  JAPAN.  57 

the  limit  for  a  day's  consumption.  The  reasons  for  the  above, 
as  given  by  Baron  Hiibner  in  bis  "  Ramble  Bound  the  "World," 
are  as  follows  :  — 

"  A  captain  who  should  arrive  before  his  time,  even  if  it 
were  only  by  a  few  hours,  would  be  dismissed  the  service.  I 
hear  every  one  around  me  blaming  these  restrictions.     I  own 

I  think  them  wise  and  prudent The  consumption  of 

coal  increases  with  the  increase  of  speed,  and  that  in  a  very 
large  proportion :  without  counting  the  expense,  therefore,  the 
boats  would  have  to  be  overloaded  at  starting.  If  the  time 
of  the  passage  had  not  been  fixed,  the  captains  of  the  four 
boats*  would  rival  one  another  in  speed,  to  the  detriment  of 
the  vessel  and  the  machinery Besides  this,  the  mer- 
chants of  Yokohama  and  Hong  Kong  depend  on  receiving 
and  expediting  their  correspondence  on  a  certain  day,  and 
that  is  only  possible  by  giving  such  a  margin  to  the  boats  as 
shall  make  allowance  for  the  insuperable  delays  which  now 
and  then  must  arise  from  bad  weather  or  contrary  winds.  On 
their  side  the  company  is  anxious  that  the  steamers  coming 
from  San  Francisco  and  Hong  Kong  should  not  meet  at  Yo- 
kohama,  because  they  would  then  have  to  be  laden  and  un- 
laden at  the  same  time,  and  so  they  would  need  to  double 
the  requisite  staff  of  officials  and  coolies.  Now  this  coinci- 
dence would  often  happen  if  the  Californian  boat  were  less 
than  two-and- twenty  days  on  the   passage.     Add  to  tin's  that 

*    The  number  has  since  beeu  increased. 


58  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

the  government  of  Washington,  which  has  a  right  to  interfere, 
as  it  pays  the  subvention,  hearing  that  the  boats  might  shorten 
the  run  by  two  days,  would  perhaps  be  tempted  to  force  the 
company  to  do  so,  and  thus  reduce  the  time  originally  allowed 
by  the  contract." 

For  these  reasons  we  do  not  expect  to  make  long  "  runs," 
and  consider  that  we  have  done  fairly  well  since  our  start, 
having  accomplished  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles. 

August  4-  —  The  clear  weather  continues,  but  a  slight  head- 
wind opposes  us.  The  lady  passengers  have  recovered  and  are 
on  deck  to-day.  At  4  p.  m.  the  captain  gave  a  false  fire-alarm 
to  drill  the  crew.  The  bells  tolled,  the  whistle  blew,  and  in  a 
very  short  time  each  man  was  in  his  place  with  a  bucket  in 
his  hand,  the  fire-extinguisher  and  hose  were  in  readiness,  and 
the  officers  appeared,  prepared  to  command.  The  drill  was  very 
satisfactory,  and  went  far  to  allay  the  apprehensions  of  the 
timid  in  regard  to  fire. 

August  6.  —  The  routine  of  our  life  is  as  follows :  breakfast 
comes  at  nine  o'clock,  lunch  at  one,  and  dinner  at  six.  The 
passengers  pass  the  day  in  reading  or  writing,  conversing  with 
each  other,  walking  the  deck,  or  playing  "skip's  quoits."  In 
the  evening  the  consul's  wife  takes  her  place  at  the  piano 
in  the  little  deck-parlor,  and  plays  accompaniments  for  lit- 
tle ballads  which  her  daughter  sings  charmingly.  This  young 
lady,  about  twelve  years  old,  is  the  life  of  the  ship,  and  is 
a    great    favorite    with    everybody.      The   military   and   naval 


ACROSS   THE  PACIFIC   TO  JAPAN.  59 

officers  are  most  interesting  companions,  and  are  great  ac- 
quisitions to  our  circle.  General  Upton,  the  author  of  our 
"  Tactics,"  is  one  of  the  most  widely  cultured  men  in  our 
army.  He  was  at  one  time  an  instructor  at  the  United 
States  Military  Academy  at  West  Point.  General  Forsythe 
is  one  of  the  handsomest  officers  I  ever  saw ;  a  little  above 
the  ordinary  height,  with  light  hair  and  mustache,  and  pier- 
cing eyes  which  seem  to  read  your  very  thoughts.  Attired 
in  undress  military  cap  and  jacket,  he  may  be  seen  at  al- 
most any  hour  pacing  the  deck  in  deep  thought,  as  if  plan- 
ning an  attack.  Reticent  as  all  truly  brave  men  are  about 
their  own  exploits,  he  has  told  me,  from  time  to  time,  suffi- 
cient to  prove  that  he  has  already  seen  an  unusual  amount 
of  severe  service.  He  is  on  General  Sheridan's  staff,  and 
was  by  his  side,  "  twenty  miles  away,"  when  the  news  was 
brought  of  the  outbreak  at  Winchester.  He  is  experienced  in 
Indian  warfare,  and  has  been  frequently  wounded.  Major 
Sanger  has  been  for  the  past  two  years  Military  Instructor  at 
Bowdoin  College,  and  possesses  remarkable  firmness  and  de- 
cision of  character.  When,  a  year  or  so  ago,  the  students  of 
Bowdoin  attempted  to  throw  off  the  burden  —  as  it  seemed 
to  them  —  of  military  instruction,  and  broke  out  into  opea 
rebellion,  Major  Sanger,  by  taking  a  firm  stand  from  the 
very  first,  not  only  caused  the  troubles  to  cease,  but  brought 
military  training  into  such  good  favor,  that  many  of  the 
students    formed    an    extra   "  Elective."      The    naval    officers, 


60  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE  CIRCLE. 

too,  are  very  agreeable  companions,  and  to  one  of  them,  lately 
an  instructor  at  Annapolis,  I  owe  many  useful  hours  of  explana- 
tions in  regard  to  the  various  problems  of  navigation  that  I 
see  daily  around  me. 

August  8.  —  To-day  is  Sunday,  and  at  half  past  ten  the  sur- 
geon takes  his  stand  in  the  dining-cabin  behind  an  extemporized 
readinc-desk,  —  a  large  cushion  covered  with  the  American 
flag,  —  and  reads  the  Episcopal  service,  the  officers,  passengers, 
and  several  seamen  forming  a  congregation.  In  the  psalm  for 
the  day  are  these  words,  which  impress  us,  so  far  away  from 
land,  with  their  full  signification :  "  The  sea  is  His  and  He 
made  it,  and  His  hands  prepared  the  dry  land." 

The  moonlight  nights,  at  present,  are  delightfully  pictu- 
resque. The  full  moon  shines  clearly  over  the  waters.  Our 
steamer  glides  smoothly  along  through  the  glittering  belt,  leav- 
ing behind  a  long  dark  trail  of  smoke,  while  multitudes  of  stars 
of  unusual  brilliancy  shine  out  from  every  part  of  the  heavens 
above  us. 

August  11. — The  Japanese  are  very  bright,  pleasant  men. 
One  especially  interests  me.  He  has  just  graduated  from 
Piinceton  College,  and  has  evidently  used  his  time  well.  He  is 
greatly  impressed  with  the  advanced  state  of  our  country,  and 
hopes  that  many  of  our  institutions  will  be  adopted  in  Japan. 
He  has  been  away  from  home  for  six  years,  —  and  at  such  a 
distance !  He  longs  to  arrive,  and  is  rejoiced  as  each  day 
closes.     He  explains  to  me  the  different  theological  beliefs  in 


ACROSS   THE  PACIFIC   TO  JAPAN.  6 1 

Japan,  and  gives  the  preference  to  the  abstract  Shintoism, —  the 
religion  of  the  Mikado. 

August  1 4-.  —  The  passengers  are  all  roused  at  a  very  early 
hour  this  morning  by  perceiving  that  our  steamer  has  come  to 
a  stand-still.  Hastening  on  deck,  we  see  a  large  bark  lying  to 
near  by,  flying  the  American  flag  and  exhibiting  a  signal  of 
distress.  A  boat  is  on  its  way  to  us,  and  when  it  arrives  we  see 
it  contains  two  emaciated  men,  who  tell  us  that  the  bark  is 
the  "  J.  W.  Seaver"  of  San  Francisco,  bound  thither  from  the 
Fiji  Islands,  from  which  place  they  sailed  sixty  days  ago.  They 
have  lost  their  reckoning  for  days,  and,  worse  than  all,  are 
nearly  out  of  food,  having  only  a  small  supply  of  fruit  on  board. 
We  send  them  an  ample  stock  of  provisions,  give  them  their 
position  on  the  chart,  and,  having  returned  to  their  vessel,  the 
bark  dips  her  flag,  and  with  every  stitch  of  canvas  set  to 
catch  the  favorable  wind,  bears  away  to  America,  and  soon  has 
vanished  beneath  the  horizon.  Sailing-vessels  are  rarely  en- 
countered by  the  steamers,  as  they  generally  go  above  or  below 
the  sic; uner-track  to  catch  the  trade-winds. 

August  15. — Service  was  held  to-day  in  the  cabin,  some  of 
the  passengers  forming  a  choir.  By  the  captain's  reckoning, 
we  arc  2,420  miles  from  San  Francisco.  We  saw  to-day  sev- 
eral schools  of  porpoises  and  also  multitudes  of  little  delicate 
flying-fish. 

August  10.  —  While  sitting  on  deck  this  morning  waiting 
for  the  breakfast-gong  to  sound,  we  saw  several  whales  blowing 


62  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

quite  near  the  ship,  —  a  sight  which  greatly  excited  one  of  the 
ship's  officers  who  had  been  on  whaling  voyages  for  many  years. 

August  IS.  —  Although  yesterday  was  Monday,  to-day  is 
Wednesday,  and  we  have  "lost"  a  day,  for  none  of  us  have 
had  a  seventeenth  day  of  August.  We  passed  last  night  the 
180°  W.  longitude,  and  hence  the  change;  but  few  of  the 
passengers  (except  the  naval  officers)  seem  to  understand  the 
theoretical  reason,  and  the  latter  vainly  endeavor  to  make  it 
clear  to  us.     This  will  make  the  week  pass  very  rapidly. 

August  19.  —  Every  morning  at  eleven  o'clock  the  captain, 
accompanied  by  the  ship's  surgeon  and  steward,  makes  an  in- 
spection of  the  whole  ship,  and  to-day  several  of  us  go  with 
them,  by  invitation.  It  is  astonishing  to  find  how  every  inch  of 
room  is  utilized  on  board  such  a  steamer  as  ours ;  and  it  is  very 
gratifying,  moreover,  to  see  how  clean  every  part  of  the  ship  is 
kept.  We  pass  first  through  the  steerage,  where  three  hundred 
Chinamen  are  stowed.  Plenty  of  fresh  air  is  admitted  through 
large  open  ports ;  the  men  are  sitting  round  in  groups,  chatter- 
ing Chinese,  some  gambling  at  dominos,  while  all  appear  com- 
fortable and  contented.  One  portion  of  the  steerage  is  given 
up  to  the  Chinese  for  an  opium-smoking  room.  In  another 
part  they  have  prepared  a  joss-house.  Thus  the  long  voyage 
passes  pleasantly  for  them.  Near  by,  but  apart  from  the  Chi- 
nese, are  the  quarters  of  the  one  hundred  United  States  sailors. 
The  thorough  ship-shape  appearance  of  each  one's  berth  and 
kit  clearly  indicates  the  American  seaman. 


ACROSS.  THE  PACIFIC   TO  JAPAN.  63 

We  then  take  a  look  at  the  Mikado's  horses,  and  cast  a  criti- 
cal eye  over  several  sheep  and  oxen  which  are  soon  to  be  sacri- 
ficed for  us ;  and  after  a  short  visit  to  the  storeroom  and  kitchen, 
we  emerge  once  more  on  to  the  main  deck.  By  the  reckoning 
to-day  we  are  3,114  miles  from  San  Francisco. 

August  20. —  To-day  is  the  hottest  of  any  since  we  left 
America.  The  sea  is  as  smooth  and  glassy  as  a  land-locked 
lake,  the  sun  beats  down  out  of  a  cloudless  sky,  and  all  parts 
of  the  ship  are  equally  uncomfortable.  After  dinner,  however, 
it  is  cooler,  and  standing  on  deck,  about  nine  o'clock,  we  watch 
the  full  moon  rise  rapidly  out  of  the  water.  The  clear  sky 
dotted  with  the  brilliant  stars  for  which  this  region  is  noted, 
the  smooth  ocean  stretching  far  away  on  every  side,  and  the 
great  yellow  orb  apparently  emerging  from  some  unknown  spot 
beneath  the  sea,  and  casting  as  it  mounts  higher  and  higher  a 
long  trail  of  glittering  beams  in  which  the  waters  seem  to  dance 
and  leap,  —  all  this  forms  a  scene  before  which  we  linger  long 
in  silent  admiration. 

August  21.  —  The  great  amusement  of  the  passengers  is 
pitching  quoits  on  the  main  deck.  Besides  this,  the  monotony 
of  the  voyage  is  relieved  by  "betting  on  the  ship's  run," — a 
bottle  of  claret  or  champagne  being  the  prize  each  day  of  the 
one  wlio  has  estimated  most  exactly  the  number  of  miles  ac- 
complished by  the  ship  during  the  last,  twenty-four  hours.  It 
would  lie  almost  impossible  t"  declare  the  number  "I'  bottles 
that  will    be    distributed  on  our   arrival   at    Yokohama,  some 


64  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

believing  that  we  shall  reach  that  port  Thursday  night,  while 
others  fix  Friday  morning. 

August  2o.  —  Our  run  to-day  was  25G  miles,  and  our  total 
distance  from  San  Francisco  is  4,496  miles.  We  expect  to 
reach  Yokohama  to-morrow  evening,  probably  in  time  to  disem- 
bark. In  company  with  the  chief-engineer  I  visited  to-day  the 
engine-room  and  furnaces,  and  inspected  all  the  machinery  of 
the  ship.  The  furnace-room  is  seventeen  feet  below  the  surface 
of  the  water,  and  contains  twenty-four  furnaces,  into  whose 
roaring  mouths  half-naked  Chinamen  are  continually  shovelling 
coal.  The  heat  is  tremendous,  and  a  short  visit  is  amply 
sufficient.  These  Chinese  coal-heavers  work  four  hours  and 
then  rest  eight,  the  arduous  labor  performed  in  the  intense 
heat  making  it  necessary  for  them  to  rest  at  regular  intervals. 
A  balcony  surrounds  the  furnace-room,  and  standing  on  it, 
and  looking  down  upon  the  dark  chamber  lighted  only  by  the 
glare  of  the  fires,  before  which  dusky  forms  like  very  fiends 
are  running  about,  the  spectator  may  well  believe  that  he  has 
strayed  into  the  infernal  regions  and  is  witnessing  the  antics 
of  some  of  its  devil-inhabitants. 

A ugust  :'0.  —  At  eleven  o'clock  to-day  the  welcome  cry  of 
"Land!"  is  heard  throughout  the  ship,  and  it  is  impossible 
to  describe  our  delight  when,  far  ahead,  "cloud-like,  we  saw 
the  shore"  of  Japan,  and  realized  fully  that  we  were  rapidly 
approaching  the  close  of  our  long  voyage.  As  we  continue 
to  advance,  the  shore  grows   more  and  more  distinct,  and  by 


ACROSS   THE  PACIFIC   TO  JAP  AX.  65 

four  o'clock  we  are  opposite  Cape  King.  The  water  sur- 
rounding us  is  absolutely  at  rest,  and  the  great  paddle-wheels 
of  our  steamer  toss  up  high  waves,  which  disappear  as  soon 
as  we  have  passed  by.  The  beautiful  green  hills  sloping- 
down  to  the  sea  are  wonderfully  refreshing  to  the  eye  so 
long  accustomed  to  an  unchanging  view  of  sky  and  water. 
The  passengers  are  all  on  deck,  looking  eagerly  towards  land, 
while  the  bows  are  crowded  with  a  chattering  multitude  of 
Chinese,  delighted  at  beholding  a  well-known  country.  We 
pass  strange-looking  crafts  with  odd  sails,  whose  scantily  clad 
occupants  gaze  at  us  curiously.  We  turn  our  marine-glasses 
upon  them,  and  try  to  make  ourselves  realize  that  we  are 
looking  upon  the  inhabitants  of  the  other  side  of  the  world 
from  where  wTe  live.  Dinner  is  served  at  six,  as  usual ;  1  nit 
everybody  leaves  the  table  continually,  unwilling  to  lose  sight 
of  the  approach  to  Yokohama.  On  our  left  we  see  a  light- 
house bearing  a  curious  flag,  —  a  red  globe  on  a  white  ground, 
the  flag  of  Japan.  In  the  distance  a  conical  mountain  lifts 
its  head  above  the  clouds,  while  the  beams  of  the  setting  sun 
cast  a  soft  light  over  its  base.  It  is  sacred  Fusiyama,  the 
holy  mount  of  Japan,  which  rises  fourteen  thousand  feet 
above  the  sea.  Now,  far  ahead,  we  can  plainly  distinguish 
the  many  different  vessels  lying  off  Yokohama,  and,  erelong, 
we  are  slowly  picking  our  way  through  the  various  craft,  our 
captain  standing  with  the  pilot  in  the  bow,  calling  oul  every 
little  while  to  tin;  quartermaster  at  the  wheel,  qow,  "  Port  her 


66  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

handsomely!"  now,  "Starboard!"  now,  suddenly,  "Steady!" 
each  order  being  promptly  repeated  by  the  steersman,  who  fol- 
lows it  at  the  word.  We  pass  the  light-ship,  fire  our  arrival- 
gun,  make  fast  to  our  moorings  at  a  little  distance  from  the 
city,  and  come  to  a  stand-still,  —  our  voyage  across  the  Pacific 
safely  accomplished. 

Immediately  our  ship  is  surrounded  by  multitudes  of  native 
boats,  —  sampans,  —  a  long  narrow  sort  of  canoe,  propelled  by 
half-naked  Japanese,  with  long  oars,  with  which  they  scull 
the  crafts  to  and  fro  with  wonderful  skill  and  precision.  We 
seat  ourselves  in  one  of  these  sampans,  and  our  boatmen, 
keeping  time  to  a  peculiar  cry,  row  us  quickly  ashore.  We 
are  landed  at  a  flight  of  stone  steps  which  reach  into  the 
water.  Ascending  the  steps,  we  find  at  the  top  a  score  of 
curious  two-wheeled  carriages,  each  drawn  by  a  Japanese,  who 
takes  the  place  of  a  horse.  These  little  vehicles  are  called 
in  Japanese  jinrikishas,  —  man-power-carriage,  —  and  are  very 
comfortable  and  convenient.  Large  numbers  of  them  are  to 
be  found  in  waiting  in  all  the  principal  streets  of  Yoko- 
hama, and,  owing  to  the  ingenious  construction  of  the  body 
of  the  carriage,  the  natives  are  enabled  to  propel  them  at  a 
full  run  for  a  long  distance  and  with  little  fatigue.  They 
are  used  constantly  by  business  men  and  others,  and  are 
now  as  indispensable  in  Japan  as  cabs  in  London.  Indeed, 
the  number  of  horse-vehicles  in  Yokohama  is  very  small,  and 
on   this   account  there  is  very  little   clatter  or   noise   in   the 


ACROSS   THE  PACIFIC   TO  JAPAN.  67 

city.  All  merchandise  is  transported  on  poles,  which  are 
carried  by  coolies  on  their  shoulders.  At  night  every  jinrikislia 
is  provided  with  a  long  Japanese  lantern,  bearing  its  number, 
and  the  many  different  lights  darting  up  and  down  a  thor- 
oughfare form  an  animated  scene. 

There  are  three  good  hotels  in  Yokohama,  —  the  Grand, 
the  International,  and  the  Hotel  du  Louvre.  "We  have  been 
strongly  recommended  to  try  the  latter,  and,  though  most 
Americans  select  one  of  the  two  former,  we  decide  to  accept 
the  advice.  The  proprietor  of  the  Hotel  du  Louvre  calls 
jinrilcishas  for  us,  on  our  arrival,  and  we  accompany  him 
to  the  hotel.  It  looks  very  neat  and  comfortable.  Having 
left  our  hand-bags,  we  re-enter  the  jinrikishas  and  drive  at  a 
rattling  pace  round  the  city.  The  curious  Japanese  houses, 
hung  with  gayly  painted  lanterns;  the  cool-looking  rooms  within, 
strewn  with  mats,  on  which  are  sitting  different  families  drink- 
ing tea  or  smoking;  the  strange  sound  of  the  language  spoken 
about  us ;  and  the  long  lines  of  Japanese  carrying  burdens 
slung  on  poles  over  their  shoulders,  —  all  these  things  interest 
us  deeply,  and  make  us  realize  that  we  are  on  "a  strange 
and  distant  shore." 


68  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


CHAPTER    V. 

FROM  YOKOHAMA  TO  YEDO. 

Yokohama.  —  A    Japanese    Theatre.  —  Inoshima.  —  Daibutstt.  —  Kama- 
kura.  —  The  Railroad  to  Yedo. 

August  27.  —  We  are  awakened  this  morning  by  a  confused 
sound  in  the  street  below,  and  on  going  to  the  window  we 
see  it  is  caused  by  successive  gangs  of  coolies  carrying  bur- 
dens slung  on  poles,  who  walk  in  perfect  step  to  the  sound 
of  a  peculiar  chorus.  The  heat  is  intense.  The  sky  is  with- 
out a  cloud.  After  breakfast  we  go  down  to  the  "  Bund,"  — 
a  wide  road  and  embankment  built  along  the  sea-shore, — 
and  descending  the  stone  steps  where  we  landed  yesterday, 
we  call  a  sampan  and  order  the  boatmen  to  take  us  to  the 
Great  Republic  as  we  wish  to  carry  our  trunks  to  the  hotel. 
Our  baggage  being  placed  on  the  sampan,  we  visit  the  custom- 
house, situated  on  the  "  Bund,"  near  the  point  from  which  we 
started.  The  officials  are  very  polite,  and  having  merely 
raised  the  lids,  pass  everything,  and  we  engage  several  coolies 
to  cany  our  possessions  to  the  hotel.  We  now  walk  out 
through  the  city,  to  present  various  letters  of  introduction. 
Yokohama  was  founded  by  the  first  English  merchants  who 
arrived,  after  the  signing  of  the  treaties,  to  engage  in  trade 


FROM    YOKOHAMA    TO    YE  DO.  69 

iii  the  Empire  of  the  Rising  Sun,  which,  until  then,  had 
been  entirely  closed  to  them.  Whilst  the  English  Minister, 
Sir  Rutherford  Alcock,  was  currying  on  negotiations  with  the 
Shogun  about  the  territory  to  be  given  to  Europeans  on 
which  to  dwell,  the  merchants  chose,  of  their  own  accord,  a 
spot  near  a  small  fishing  village  called  Yokohama,  or  "  Across 
the  Sea-Shore."  This  site,  indeed,  was  very  accessible  to 
ships,  but  it  subjected  the  Europeans  to  the  danger  of  ab- 
solute imprisonment  by  the  Japanese.  Sir  Eutherford  Alcock 
was  well  aware  of  this,  but,  in  spite  of  his  advice,  the  Eng- 
lish merchants  unanimously  decided  on  the  location.  Sir 
Eutherford  yielded  to  the  wishes  of  his  countrymen,  and  the 
new  town  sprung  up.  It  was  destroyed  by  fire,  however,  in 
1SGG.  Xo  trace  of  the  disaster  now  remains.  The  town  is 
built  in  the  form  of  a  parallelogram.  Three  large  streets  run 
across  it,  and  many  little  passages  and  alleys  connect  them. 
Along  the  sea-shore  is  the  "Bund,"  a  row  of  fine  houses 
fronting  a  hard,  broad  mad  way.  This  is  the  favorite  prom- 
enade of  the  foreign  population.  The  native  quarter  lies  to 
the  east.  The  palace  of  the  Japanese  governor  is  situated 
therein.  Curio  Street,  a  continuation  of  Main  Street,  contains 
tin-  chief  stores.  Here  maybe  found  silk  goods,  lacquer-work, 
fine  porcelain  and  bronze  articles,  and  old  armor.  A  long 
bridge,  carefully  guarded  by  native  troops,  leads  to  the  in- 
terior. Tin's  road  soon  joins  the  Tokaido,  the  great  highway 
from  Tokio  to  Kioto.     The  houses   of  the   foreign  population 


JO  DOTTING S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

are  built,  for  the  most  part,  along  the  "  Bund."  The  foreign 
legations  were  formerly  located  in  Yokohama,  but  they  have 
been  lately  transferred  to  Yedo.  To  the  right  of  the  town  is 
a  high  bluff,  on  the  summit  of  which  are  many  tea-houses 
belonging  to  foreigners  and  natives.  The  harbor  is  well 
adapted  for  rowing  and  sailing,  and  a  foreign  boat-club  holds 
annual  regattas.  At  night  Yokohama  is  guarded  by  bands  of 
native  police,  who  patrol  the  streets,  carrying  lanterns  and 
clubs,  and  uttering  from  hour  to  hour  a  shrill  cry,  which  indi- 
cates to  the  inhabitants  that  "  all  is  well."  The  streets  of  the 
city  are  clean,  but  very  little  attention  is  paid  to  keeping 
them  in  repair.  Yokohama  contains  a  population  of  about 
forty  thousand,  of  which  two  thousand  are  foreigners,  the 
English  and  Americans  forming  a  large  majority. 

Having  presented  several  letters  of  introduction,  we  are  re- 
ceived and  welcomed  most  kindly,  and  made  members  of  the 
"  Club "  for  the  time  that  we  remain.  We  are  invited  by 
Mr.  Chandler  P.  Hall  (of  Walsh,  Hall,  &  Co.)  to  accompany 
him   in   the  evening  to  the  theatre,  and  we   engage   him   to 

dine  with  us  previously  at  the  hotel.     F and  I  have  been 

joined  by  one  of  our  fellow-passengers  on  the  Great  Republic, 

Mr.  E.  U of  New  York  City,  who  has  planned  a  tour  of 

the  world  very  similar  to  ours. 

Calling  jinrihishas,  we  enter  the  native  quarter  of  the  city. 
It  is  a  pleasure  to  look  about  us.  The  houses,  the  inhabitants,  the 
odd  costumes,  the  peculiar  street-cries,  —  all  arrest  our  attention. 


FROM   YOKOHAMA    TO   YE  DO.  7 1 

Multitudes  of  people  are  passing  up  and  down  the  streets. 
There,  a  gang  of  coolies  are  carrying  a  heavy  burden,  chant- 
ing their  strange  song  as  they  walk.  Others  are  dragging 
hand-carts  full  of  vegetables;  while  successive  groups  of  men, 
women,  and  children  form,  to  our  unaccustomed  eyes,  kaleido- 
scopic pictures  which  keep  us  continually  interested. 

The  men  dress  in  long  flowing  robes  which  nearly  touch 
the  ground.  The  coolies,  however,  and  the  jinrikisha-men 
wear  only  a  white  cloth  around  the  waist.  All  have  their 
heads  shaved,  except  a  curious  twist  of  hair  which  is  trained 
along  the  top  of  the  cranium.  They  seem  very  good-natured, 
and  are  continually  laughing  and  talking  with  each  other. 
Frequently,  when  a  foreigner  appears  on  the  street,  a  crowd 
<>t'  jnirikiska-men.  scamper  towards  him,  each  eager  to  be  em- 
ployed ;  and  the  one  who  arrives  first,  having  seen  the  stranger 
safely  seated  in  his  carriage,  looks  round  upon  his  disappointed 
mates  with  a  most  comical  expression  of  triumph;  while  one 
of  the  unfortunates  will  make  some  comforting  remark,  at 
which  they  will  all  laugh,  and  then  they  separate  in  search 
of  another  foreigner  or  wealthy  Japanese,  before  whom  the 
same  performance  is  repeated. 

The  costume  of  the  women  is  quite  picturesque.  The  gar- 
ments of  the  rich  are  elaborately  embroidered,  while  even  the 
peasants  seem  to  take  pains  in  regard  to  the  general  arrange- 
ment of  their  toilets.  Their  hair,  very  black  and  very  thick, 
is  braided  into  coils  and  kept  in  position  by  one  or  two  long 


72  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

tortoise-shell  or  metallic  pins ;  and  this  is  an  operation  so  im- 
portant and  so  tedious,  that  it  is  only  done  once  in  two  weeks, 
—  the  women  always  using  at  night  a  peculiar  pillow  which 
is  placed  under  the  back  of  the  neck  and  which  does  not  dis- 
turb the  coiffure.  Their  feet  are  bare,  but  they  clatter  along 
in  clogs  which  are  kept  in  position  by  a  thong  passed  around 
the  great  toe.  The  married  women  cannot  be  called  beautiful, 
for  all  have  their  teeth  stained  black,  in  accordance  with  a 
custom  started  by  a  wife  of  a  former  Mikado,  who,  being  very 
beautiful,  blackened  her  teeth  as  a  sign  of  fidelity  to  her 
husband,  and  commanded  all  women  throughout  the  Empire 
for  successive  years  to  do  the  same  on  their  marriage-day. 
The  young  girls,  however,  are  exceedingly  pleasing  in  appear- 
ance and  manners.  Their  complexions,  though  dark,  are  not 
yellowish  like  the  Chinese.  Their  eyes  are  very  large  and 
expressive,  and  though  almond-shaped,  not  disagreeably  so. 

After  dinner,  in  company  with  Mr.  Hall,  we  take  jinriJeishas 
and  proceed  to  the  native  theatre.  Following  the  invariable 
custom,  our  friend  halts  us  at  a  tea-house  directly  opposite 
the  theatre,  and  having  addressed  the  proprietor  in  Japanese 
(for  Mr.  Hall  speaks  the  language  fluently),  a  servant  of  the 
tea-house  leads  us  at  once  across  the  street  and  into  the 
theatre,  we  not  paying  at  the  door,  however,  but  simply  men- 
tioning the  tea-house  at  which  we  stopped.  The  Japanese 
leads  us  up  a  flight  of  stairs  to  the  balcony,  which  is  divided 
into  boxes,  with  low  partitions  between  each  one,  every  box 


•  IAN. 


FROM   YOKOHAMA    TO   YEDO.  73 

containing  some  straw  matting  on  which  to  sit.  As  soon  as 
we  are  seated,  the  Japanese  servant  leaves  us,  but  returns 
immediately,  bearing  an  immense  gayly  painted  paper  lantern 
with  a  sentence  in  Japanese  on  the  front,  declaring  (as  our 
friend  tells  us)  what  tea-house  we  are  patronizing.  Behind 
him  comes  another  native  with  a  teapot  and  exquisite  little 
cups,  and  a  hc-batcJii,  —  a  sort  of  charcoal  brazier  from  which 
the  Japanese  light  their  pipes.  The  servants  hang  the  great 
lantern  in  front  of  our  box  (upon  which  the  whole  audience 
turns  and  stares  fixedly  for  several  minutes),  pour  out  the  tea, 
make  us  low  ceremonious  bows,  and  leave  us  to  witness  the 
play.  The  theatre  is  small,  but  the  curtains  and  scenery, 
together  with  gorgeous  flags  and  hangings  surrounding  the 
stage,  give  a  bright  and  festive  appearance  to  the  whole  interior. 
The  majority  of  the  audience  are  seated  on  plain  wooden 
benches ;  a  few  Japanese  ladies  in  an  opposite  box,  lazily 
fanning  themselves  with  immense  fans,  being  the  only  other 
occupants  of  our  part  of  the  house.  In  front  of  them,  like- 
wise, hangs  a  large  lantern,  which  bears  the  sign  of  a  rival 
tea-house  to  ours.  The  play  itself,  though  rather  uninteresting 
to  us,  is  followed  with  the  closest  attention  by  the  audience, 
and  the  efforts  of  the  actors  are  rewarded  at  frequent  intervals 
by  a  sharp  "lie  !"  and  sometimes  by  clapping  of  bauds.  Be- 
tween the  acts  vendors  of  fruit,  confectionery,  cigars,  tea,  and 
suki  (native  wine)  offer  their  wares,  shouting  out  in  loud 
tones  as  they  walk  about  with  great  skill  through  the  assembly 


f4  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

on  narrow  boards  raised  a  few  feet  above  the  backs  of  each 
score  of  seats.  The  orchestra  sit  on  the  stage ;  and  although 
the  cymbals  and  gongs  are  heard  continually,  still  the  music 
is  not  so  deafening  or  disagreeable  as  in  the  Chinese  theatre 
in  San  Francisco.  Here  too,  however,  much  is  left  to  the 
imagination;  a  wooden  screen,  for  instance,  doing  duty  as  the 
wall  of  a  house. 

After  witnessing  two  acts  of  the  play,  and  being  assured  by 
Mr.  Hall  that  there  is  no  immediate  prospect  of  its  drawing 
to  a  close,  we  leave  the  theatre  and  cross  the  street  to  the 
tea-house  where  we  first  stopped.  Here,  having  partaken  of 
tea  served  in  small  cups  by  pretty  Japanese  girls,  the  master 
of  the  house  presents  his  account,  written  in  strange  characters 
on  the  thinnest  paper ;  and  having  paid  the  bill  (which,  includ- 
ing the  theatre,  tea,  and  attendance,  is  astonishingly  small)  and 
received  the  stamped  receipt  (which  the  Japanese  are  very 
particular  to  render),  we  are  rewarded  with  hearty  "Ar-ri- 
ga-tos"  (thank  you)  from  father,  mother,  and  daughters, — 
the  whole  family  falling  on  their  knees  and  showing  their  grati- 
tude by  humble  prostrations.  Entering  our  jinrikishas,  we  re- 
turn to  the  hotel. 

August  28.  —  We  spend  the  morning  in  Curio  Street,  and  are 
delighted  with  the  multitude  of  beautiful  and  useful  things 
that  are  to  be  found  everywhere.  One  of  the  first  places  a 
foreigner  should  visit  is  Shobey's  silk-store,  where  silk  articles  of 
all  sorts  can  be  obtained  at  prices  which  seem  incredible.    Mag- 


FROM  YOKOHAMA    TO   YE  DO.  7$ 

nificent  bed-spreads,  with  a  monogram  exquisitely  embroidered 
on  one  side;  elegant  dressing-gowns  and  smoking-jackets  of 
heavy  quilted  silk ;  handkerchief-cases,  monogram  pincushions, 
scarfs,  embroidered  handkerchiefs,  sofa-pillows,  screens,  —  all 
these  are  to  be  found,  of  the  finest  quality  and  the  best  work- 
manship. Near  by  one  can  find  the  largest  stock  of  fans  he 
probably  ever  saw,  the  choicest  lacquer-work  and  bronze  arti- 
cles ;  while  the  antiquarian  will  be  in  paradise  looking  through 
collections  of  old  armor,  ancient  Daimios'  swords,  and  grotesque 
idols. 

At  4  p.  M.  we  meet  again,  by  appointment,  Mr.  C.  P.  Hall, 
who  has  most  kindly  offered  to  accompany  us  on  a  trip  to 
Inoshima  and  Kamakura,  which  includes  a  visit  to  the  great 
idol  of  Daibutsu,  or  Buddha.  The  foreign  treaties  have  by 
no  means  opened  Japan.  Europeans  are  simply  allowed  to 
reside  and  trade  in  the  "  treaty  ports,"  and  to  travel  from  them 
inland  for  a  short  distance.  The  "  treaty  ports  "  are  the  fol- 
lowing towns,  namely,  Yokohama,  Hiogo  (Kobe),  Nagasaki, 
Niigata,  Hakodate',  Yedo,  and  Osaka.  In  the  vicinity  of 
each  "  treaty  port "  are  posts  bearing  signs  marked  in  English 
and  Japanese  characters,  "Frontiers  of  the  treaty."  Foreign 
officials,  however,  can  obtain  permission  to  travel  in  the  in- 
terior, upon  formal  application  to  the  Japanese  government. 
At  present  foreigners  can  travel  from  any  of  the  "treaty 
ports"  fifteen  miles  inland;  but  even  now,  if  a  stranger  at- 
tempts to  penetrate  farther,  he  will  be  promptly  stopped,  and, 


76  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

unless  an  official,  probably  put  under  arrest.  All  the  places 
that  we  intend  to  visit  are  entirely  within  limits,  although 
Kamakura  marks  the  limit  of  the  territory  open  to  foreigners 
in  that  direction. 

Our  friend  has  sent  his  servant  ahead,  with  two  coolies,  to 
carry  a  variety  of  food  to  Inoshima  (where  we  intend  to  pass 
the  night),  as  the  native  tea-houses  afford  little  but  tea,  rice, 
and  saki.  Three  bcttos  run  ahead  of  us  to  take  care  of 
our  horses  when  we  stop  by  the  way.  These  bettos  are  na- 
tive hostlers,  whom  everybody  employs,  who  run  along  near 
their  master  and  hold  his  horse  when  he  alights,  take  care  of 
it  over  night,  saddle  it  in  the  morning,  and  stand  ready  for 
another  long  day's  run  wherever  they  may  be  commanded  to 
go.  They  are  very  fleet  of  foot,  being  able  to  keep  up  for 
many  hours  with  a  horse,  and  altogether  are  a  most  useful 
and  necessary  servant  in  Jaj^an.  The  distance  from  Yoko- 
hama to  Inoshima  is  about  fifteen  miles.  The  first  part  of 
our  way  lies  along  the  Tokaido,  —  the  great  highway  across 
Japan  from  Tokio  to  Kioto.  The  road  is  wide,  shaded  by 
trees,  which  form  in  many  places  a  complete  arch,  while  on 
each  side  are  native  houses  with  their  heavy  roofs  of  thatch. 
As  we  ride  along  we  find  the  people  are  celebrating  the  day 
as  a  festival.  The  houses  are  hung  with  flags  and  lanterns, 
which  latter,  as  evening  draws  on,  are  lighted,  forming  a  brill- 
iant sight.  Xear  one  cottage  we  see  a  group  dressed  in  long 
white  garments,  chanting  a   prayer   to  the  day's  god ;    while 


FROM   YOKOHAMA    TO   YE  DO.  J  J 

every  now  and  then  one  of  them  strikes  a  deep-sounding 
gong,  which  adds  its  reverberations  to  the  measured  voices  of 
the  worshippers.  The  inhabitants  call  out  to  us  from  all 
sides  a  cheery  "Oh-hiyo"  (How  do  you  do),  while  small 
naked  urchins  show  a  "  touch  of  nature "  by  shouting  after 
us,  "  Onata  oh-hiyo  tempo  shinjo "  (Hallo !  give  us  a  cent), 
exactly  as  the  street-boys  of  our  own  cities  favor  us.  About 
dark  we  turn  off  from  the  Tokaido,  and,  taking  a  road  to  the 
left,  soon  reach  Katasi,  where  we  leave  our  horses  in  charge 
of  our  bcttos,  and  strike  across  the  sandy  bar  that  joins  Ino- 
shima  with  the  mainland.  The  tide  is  nearly  high,  and  we 
are  obliged  to  walk  in  the  heavy  sand.  After  trudging  along 
for  about  fifteen  minutes,  we  arrive  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  on 
which  the  town  is  built,  and  plunge  suddenly  into  the  chief 
street  of  the  place.  We  find  ourselves  at  once  in  the  midst 
of  a  most  varied  crowd.  The  markets  are  all  open.  Many 
of  the  villagers  are  buying  meat,  fish,  or  rice.  Little  knots 
are  standing  here  and  there  in  earnest  conversation,  while 
-rave  Bonzes  with  shaved  heads  walk  slowly  past,  accompa- 
nied by  some  of  the  numerous  pilgrims  who  are  always  to 
be  found  in  this  holy  isle.  We  go  at  once  to  the  chief  inn. 
The  best  rooms  are  already  occupied  by  a  party  of  Euglish 
from  Yokohama ;  but  our  friend,  who  is  very  well  known  in 
this  vicinity,  persuades  the  proprietor  to  give  us  one  of  his 
own  apartments :  to  which,  after  a  little  debate,  he  agrees. 
We    pass    through  a  common  room  on  the  first  floor,  devoted 


y8  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


principally  to  cooking,  and  ascending  a  flight  of  stairs  reach 
a  balcony  extending  round  the  inner  walls  of  the  house. 
Leading  off  from  this  are  several  rooms  occupied  by  the  pro- 
prietor's family,  while  in  an  adjoining  portion  of  the  inn  are 
the  apartments  we  should  have  obtained,  now  held,  as  I  have 
said,  by  others.  We  are  given,  however,  the  best  of  the 
native  quarters,  being  a  large  room  spread  with  matting,  with 
paper  window-slides,  and  several  inscriptions  in  Japanese 
around  the  walls.  These  paper  window-slides  are  shut  to- 
gether at  night,  or  in  case  of  rain,  while  in  ordinary  weather 
they  are  shoved  back,  thus  leaving  the  entire  casement  open 
for  air. 

After  a  cold  and  refreshing  shower-bath  in  the  native  bath- 
room (a  very  primitive  affair),  we  turn  our  attention  to  the 
food  that  our  friend's  servant  and  the  coolies  have  brought 
from  Yokohama;  and  after  doing  it  ample  justice,  we  soon 
after  call  for  beds  (thick  blankets  placed  directly  on  the 
straw  matting),  and  endeavor  to  get  what  sleep  we  can,  our 
rest  being  continually  interrupted  by  the  peculiar  dozing 
sounds  from  the  Japanese  in  the  adjoining  room,  and  by 
multitudes  of  fleas,  so  common  in  the  habitations  of  the  lower 
orders  throughout  the  Empire. 

August  29. —  The  Japanese  in  the  next  room  rise  at  day- 
break, and  soon  after  sunrise  we  follow  their  example,  and 
make  our  way  to  the  beach,  where  we  enjoy  a  delightful  bath 
in  the  sea,  bright  with  the  beams  of  the  sun,  while  Fusiyama 


FROM   YOKOHAMA    TO   YEDO.  79 

looms  grandly  up  in  the  distance.  After  breakfast  we  pro- 
ceed to  visit  the  different  temples  and  shrines  that  are  found 
in  various  parts  of  the  island.  Inoshima  is  the  most  sacred 
spot  in  Japan.  Every  clay  is  a  fete.  The  houses  are  always 
gayly  decorated  with  flags  or  religious  sentences  painted  on 
cloth,  while  many  banners  are  hung  across  the  streets  in 
honor  of  the  gods.  Ascending  a  long  flight  of  stone  steps,  we 
come  to  an  old  temple  filled  with  many  curious  and  cherished 
articles,  whose  histories  a  pale  priest  relates  at  length.  Here 
is  a  suit  of  armor,  once  worn  by  an  old  Daimio  who  per- 
formed prodigies  of  valor.  Here  is  an  immense  sword  which 
was  carried  by  an  ancient  hero,  and  which  slaughtered  multi- 
tudes of  the  enemy.  "We  are  obliged  to  interrupt  the  old 
Bonze,  for  otherwise  he  will  continue  his  romances  forever. 
Passing  on  and  ascending  more  steps,  we  come  to  another 
temple  larger  than  the  first,  through  which  we  are  conducted 
in  like  manner  by  the  resident  priest.  We  examine  thus  a 
score  of  shrines  and  temples  (none  of  which,  however,  are  of 
special  architectural  beauty),  and  finally  we  descend  a  pre- 
cipitous hill  and  enter  a  long  cave,  passing  over  several  huge 
blocks  of  stone  which  are  nearly  covered  with  water.  At  the 
entrance  to  the  grotto  a  small  boy  with  lamps  meets  us,  and 
shows  us  all  the  wonders  of  his  domain.  When  we  emerge 
from  the  cave  we  find  a  heavy  rain  is  falling,  so  we  lake 
refuge  in  a  cool  tea-house  at  the  brow  of  the  hill  overlooking 
the  sea,  and  drink  tea  from  minute  cups  while  our  friend  con- 


80  DOTTING S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

verses  with  the  people.  Soon  a  woman  from  our  inn  comes 
clinking  along  in  her  wooden  shoes,  bringing  an  ample  supply 
of  native  umbrellas,  which  the  people  of  the  inn,  believing 
that  we  are  exposed  to  the  rain,  have  kindly  sent  to  us.  "VYe 
return  to  the  inn,  and,  having  paid  the  bill,  depart  with  the 
usual  excessive  thanks  from  our  hosts.  We  recross  the  sand- 
bar (for  Inoshima  is  strictly  only  an  island  at  high  tide),  and, 
having  sent  on  the  coolies  in  advance  with  the  food,  remount 
our  horses  and  start  off  at  a  brisk  canter  for  Kamakura,  in- 
tending to  visit  the  great  idol  of  Daibutsu  on  the  way. 

We  have  not  gone  far,  however,  when  the  rain,  which  has 
ceased  for  a  while,  once  more  comes  down,  and  after  waiting 
under  a  shed  in  vain  for  it  to  stop,  we  decide  to  press  on.  After 
riding  for  about  an  hour,  we  dismount  at  the  foot  of  a  flight 
of  wide  stone  steps,  and,  leaving  our  horses  in  charge  of  the 
bcttos,  ascend  the  steps,  and,  passing  under  a  huge  stone  gate- 
way, stop  involuntarily;  for  there  before  us,  its  face  in  deep 
calm  repose,  is  the  bronze  idol  of  Daibutsu,  Great  Buddha, 
—  the  realization,  in  countenance,  of  entire  rest  and  com- 
plete annihilation  of  care !  This  remarkable  image  is  44  feet 
in  height,  87  feet  in  circumference  of  base,  8  J  in  length  of  fare, 
ol  in  length  of  eyes,  6  in  length  of  ears,  3  in  width  of  mouth, 
3£  in  circumference  of  the  thumb,  and  34  in  diameter  of  the 
knee.  It  was  erected,  hundreds  of  years  ago,  with  the  desire 
of  displaying  to  the  worshippers  of  the  god  a  picture  of  that 
perfect,  blissful  peace  of  the  world  to  come  for  which  all  shoidd 


FROM  YOKOHAMA    TO   YE  DO.  8 1 

strive  by  a  strict  observance  of  the  rules  of  the  sect,  and  which 
is  only  to  be  obtained  by  a  long  and  faithful  probation  in  the 
body.  This  ideal  has  surely  been  realized  in  the  bronze,  and 
it  seems  to  me  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  another  face  ex- 
pressing such  absolute  repose.  The  drooping  lids,  the  serene 
mouth,  and  the  calm  joy  in  the  expression  of  the  whole,  —  as 
of  one  who  has  striven  for  a  longed-for  object  for  a  lifetime, 
and  at  the  last  has  obtained  the  result  to  which  he  has  con- 
secrated his  whole  being,  —  all  this  strikes  the  beholder,  and 
keeps  him  long  in  silent  admiration. 

After  talking  for  a  few  minutes  with  the  priest  who  lives 
near  by,  we  pass  through  a  doorway  at  the  base  of  the  idol, 
and  ascend  a  flight  of  steps  leading  up  to  the  interior  of  the 
head.  A  little  shrine  has  been  erected  here.  Having  de- 
scended to  the  ground,  we  remount  our  horses  and  continue 
our  journey  to  Kamakura.  As  we  are  leaving  the  courtyard 
I  turn  to  take  a  last  look  at  Daibutsu.  The  expression  of  the 
face  seems  changed !  The  countenance  is  still,  indeed,  clothed 
with  peace,  but  the  mouth  now  has  a  scornful  curl,  indicating, 
as  it  were,  that  those  who  can  reach  the  blissful  state  are  very, 
very  few. 

After  a  sharp  gallop  in  a  pouring  rain  (passing  over  the 
bridge  where  the  two  English  officers,  Major  Baldwin  and 
Lieutenant  Bird,  were  murdered,  in  1862),  we  reach  the  chief 
tea-house  at  Kamakura  at  four  o'clock,  and,  having  changed 
our  wet    clothes,    make    a    capital    dinner    of   the    food    which 


82  DOTTIXGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

has  arrived  before  us  in  charge  of  our  servants.  Towards 
evening  a  young  Japanese  merchant  who  is  acquainted  with 
Mr.  Hall  conies  to  our  apartment  to  pay  his  respects.  He 
is  very  well  educated  and  exceedingly  polite,  and  our  friend 
converses  with  him  for  half  an  hour.  He  accepts  one  of  our 
cigars,  and  urges  us  to  taste  his  saki.  Finally  he  rises,  bends 
his  head  low  in  a  courteous  salute  with  his  arms  extended 
gracefully,  and,  having  said  farewell,  takes  his  departure. 
Soon  after  this  we  call  for  beds,  which  are  brought,  together 
with  a  large  paper  night-lantern  always  used  in  Japan,  and 
with  our  heads  on  native  pillows,  —  little  blocks  of  wood  on 
which  is  a  small  piece  of  cloth  stuffed  with  straw,  —  we  get 
what  sleep  we  can,  with  multitudes  of  fleas  holding  high  car- 
nival over  our  arrival. 

August  30. — "We  rise  early,  and  after  breakfast  walk  out 
through  the  town  to  visit  the  great  temple.  Kamakura  is  a 
city  of  the  past.  A  long  and  wide  stone  avenue  leads  up  to 
the  massive  steps  in  front  of  the  temple.  This  structure  is 
consecrated  to  Shintoism,  —  the  religion  now  professed  by  the 
Mikado  and  his  counsellors.  In  former  times  several  Buddh- 
ist temples  stood  in  the  vicinity,  but  they  have  all  been  pulled 
down  by  express  command.  Kamakura  was  formerly  the  resi- 
dence of  the  Shoguns.  A  long  and  wide  stone  avenue,  and 
the  great  temple  of  Hachiman,  founded  by  the  Shogun  Yori- 
tomo  towards  the  end  of  the  twelfth  century,  are  the  only 
indications  of  the    importance  of   the  old  city,  once  the  sec- 


FROM  YOKOHAMA    TO   YEDO.  83 

ond  capital  of  the  Empire.  Many  old  temples,  as  I  have  said, 
have  been  destroyed;  multitudes  of  houses  and  several  pala- 
ces have  been  swept  away;  and  tall  trees  and  thick  foliage 
are  growing  on  the  sites  of  wide  streets  once  thronged  with 
a  busy  crowd  of  courtiers,  priests,  officers,  soldiers,  and  peas- 
ants.  The  perpetual  silence  of  the  present  contrasts  with  the 
stir  and  bustle  of  the  past. 

The  Mikado  and  his  court  profess  Shintoism.  This  is  an 
abstract  faith  which  takes  the  mirror*  as  its  symbol,  regard- 
ing it  as  an  emblem  of  purity.  Shintoists  believe  in  one 
supreme  God,  do  not  worship  idols,  or  look  upon  them  as  rep- 
resentations of  supernatural  deities.  The  Mikado,  being  an 
advocate  of  progression,  wishes  to  throw  aside  old  supersti- 
tions, and  prepare  his  people,  little  by  little,  to  accept  the 
wiser  institutions  of  the  West. 

In  front  of  the  temple  is  a  large  stone  Torii,- — literally, 
bird -rest,  —  a  sort  of  gateway  found  everywhere  in  Japan  be- 
fore sacred  places. 

After  visiting  the  temple,  we  mount  our  horses  and  turn 
our  faces  towards  Yokohama.  As  we  canter  along,  we  pass 
through  little  villages  surrounded  by  broad  rice-fields  of  a 
most  brilliant  green.  The  little  boys  wish  us  good  morning; 
the  young  girls  offer  us  their  tempting  little  cups  of  tea;  we 
leave  the  country,  strike  into  more  thickly  settled  districts, 
and  finally  emerge  from  the  suburbs  and  find  ourselves  neai 

*  In  Shinto  temples  mirrors  take  the  place  of  idols. 


84  DOTTING  S  ROUXD    THE   CIRCLE. 

the  great  bridge  of  Yokohama,  thronged  with  a  vast  number 
of  people  moving  hither  and  thither  continually.  We  take 
leave  of  Mr.  Hall  and  return  to  the  hotel. 

August  31. —  The  railroad  from  Yokohama  to  Yedo  was 
opened  on  the  12th  of  June,  1872.  The  whole  distance,  how- 
ever, seventeen  miles,  was  not  completed  till  afterwards.  The 
line  was  built  under  the  direction  and  superintendence  of 
the  English,  and  is  most  excellently  constructed  and  thor- 
oughly equipped.  Several  trains  run  every  day  between  the 
two  cities,  and  large  numbers  of  Japanese  as  well  as  many 
foreigners  travel  continually. 

We  take  the  seven-o'clock  train  for  Yedo.  The  following 
description  of  the  journey  is  from  a  recent  "  Guide  to  Yedo," 
which  appeared  in  Yokohama  in  1874,  and  which  is  invaluable 
to  all  travellers :  "Leaving  the  station  at  Yokohama  (Cross 
Strand),  the  Shinto  temple  at  Nogi  is  seen  on  the  hill  to  the 
left.  The  ground  to  the  right  has  been  reclaimed  by  filling  in 
the  shallow  waters  of  the  bay  with  clay,  cut  from  the  banks 
seen  on  the  left.  The  town  of  Kanagawa  (Metal  River)  is 
situated  on  a  hill  to  the  left.  It  was  the  place  originally  agreed 
upon  as  a  treaty  port,  and  a  number  of  foreigners  lived  there 
for  some  time  in  1858-59.  For  good  reasons  Yokohama 
finally  became  the  port  of  commerce,  and  the  site  of  the 
foreign  settlement.  At  Kanagawa  the  railway  crosses  the 
Tokaido  (East  Sea  Road),  the  great  highway  which  begins  at 
Tokio  and  ends  at  Kioto.     The  next  station  is  Tsurumi  (Stork 


FROM   YOKOHAMA    TO   YE  DO.  85 


View).*  The  village  lies  to  the  right  of  the  road,  which 
passes  through  irrigated  rice-fields.  Kawasaki  (River  Point) 
is  a  village  situated  to  the  right  of  the  road,  lying  near  the 
Rokugo  Eiver,  which  is  crossed  by  the  railway  bridge  and  an- 
other of  native  construction.  Where  the  latter  stands  was 
formerly  a  ferry,  by  which,  previous  to  the  building  of  the 
railway,  all  travellers —  Daimios  with  their  trains  of  followers, 
foreigners  from  Yokohama,  and  people  generally — crossed  on 
fiat-bottomed  boats.  On  the  river-fiats  will  be  noticed  pear 
orchards,  in  which  the  trees  are  trained  on  trellises  of  bam- 
boo. These  pears  are  of  inferior  flavor,  but  new  foreign  grafts 
are  being  set  on  the  old  stocks.  To  the  right  of  the  road, 
before  crossing  the  bridge,  may  be  seen  a  small  but  famous 
shrine  gayly  decorated,  and  approached  by  a  numerous  series 
of  sacred  red  portals.  While  crossing  the  bridge,  a  good  view 
westward  up  the  valley  is  obtained.  The  railway  passes 
through  fertile  rice-lands,  and  the  Tokaido,  well  planted  with 
trees,  is  again  seen  on  the  right.  Across  the  bay  are  seen 
the  mountains  of  the  provinces  of  Kadzusa  and  Awa.  Several 
small  temples  and  cemeteries  are  passed.  Emerging  from  the 
clay-cutting  and  again  crossing  the  Tokaido,  we  stop  at 
Shinagawa  (Merchandise  River)  station.  To  the  left,  in  the 
bay,  may  be   seen   a   number   of  forts,  now  dismantled,  built 

*  As  the  train  draws  up  to  the  platform,  I  see  a  curious  example  of  Japanese 
progress.  A  young  native  stands  gazing  at  the  cars,  clad  in  the  long  Bowing 
robes  of  his  country,  with  a  black  Btove-pipe  hat  on  his  head,  and  a  cigarette  in 
lii-.   month  ! 


86  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

by  the  Japanese  under  the  direction  of  French  engineers 
for  the  defence  of  Yedo.  Beyond  them  is  the  anchorage  of 
the  Imperial  navy.  On  the  wooded  bluffs  to  the  left  are 
numerous  temples  and  the  old  British  Legation.  A  little 
farther  on  may  be  seen  a  stone  and  sodded  bank  on  either 
side  of  the  road,  and  two  black  gate-posts.  The  entrance  to 
the  Japanese  capital  is  at  this  place.  Passing  over  the 
causeway,  and  curving  round  the  humbler  portion  of  the 
city,  we  pass  the  building  and  grounds  of  the  En  Bio  Kan 
(Hall  for  the  Entertainment  of  Foreign  Guests),  formerly 
called  Hama  Goten  (Strand  Palace,  i.  e.  Summer  Palace  of 
the  Shogun).  To  the  left  may  be  seen  the  groves  and  pagoda 
of  Shiba.  The  train  stops,  and  we  are  in  the  capital  of  the 
Japanese  Empire." 


YEDO.  87 


CHAPTER    VI. 

YEDO. 
Description  of  the  City. —  Shiba.  —  Atago  Yama.  —  Uyeno.  —  Asakusa. 

"The  city  of  Tokio,*  formerly  Yedo,  is  about  nine  miles 
long  and  eight  miles  wide.  About  one  eighth  of  the  area  of  the 
city  is  occupied  by  rivers,  canals,  and  the  moats  of  the  castle. 
The  Shiro  (castle)  is  the  centre  of  the  city.  It  consists  of  a 
central  citadel,  and  a  large  area  of  land  within  strong  earthen 
embankments  planted  with  trees  and  faced  with  stone  walls, 
some  of  which  are  very  massive,  over  fifty  feet  in  height,  and 
built  in  a  manner  well  fitted  to  resist  earthquakes  and  land- 
slides. The  moats  are  wide,  but  shallow,  and  are  crossed  by 
wooden  bridges.  The  citadel  is  now  dismantled,  and  many  of 
the  old  gate-towers  have  been  torn  down.  The  Shogun  f  (often 
called  Tycoon  by  foreigners)  formerly  resided  in  the  citadel. 
Many  of  the  principal  Daimios  had  residences  called  Tashihi 
(spread-out  houses)  within  the  castle  circuit.  In  1868  the 
Shogun  was  reduced  to  the  rank  of  Daimio,  and  the  Mikado 
took  up  his  residence  in  the  southern  part  of  the  citadel.     In 

*   I  continue  to  quote  from  a  pamphlet  recently  published  in  Japan. 
t  Spelt  also  Siogun. 


88  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

1873  the  Imperial  Palace  was  burned,  and  the  Emperor  now 
lives  in  the  Yashiki  which  formerly  belonged  to  the  Daimio 
of  Kishiu.  The  chief  business  quarter  of  the  city  is  in  that 
portion  of  it  included  in  the  area  lying  to  the  east  of  the  castle, 
and  stretching  from  Shimbashi*  to  the  Kanda  gawa  (god's 
field  river). 

"  There  are  a  great  number  of  temples  in  the  city,  belonging 
chiefly  to  the  numerous  Buddhist  sects.  The  two  principal 
religions  of  Japan  are  the  Buddhist  and  the  Shinto  f  (doctriue 
of  the  gods).  The  former  is  the  popular,  the  latter  appears 
to  be  the  official,  religion.  There  are  also  a  great  number  of 
Buddhist  monasteries  and  a  few  nunneries  in  the  city.  Nearly 
all  the  cemeteries  are  under  Buddhist  regulations.  Pure  Shinto 
temples  contain  no  idols.  Several  thousand  shrines  in  honor 
of  Inarisama,  the  patron  of  rice,  husbandry,  and  foxes,  are 
found  in  the  city. 

"  The  climate  of  Tokio  is  in  general  very  agreeable,  though 
wind  and  dust  at  some  intervals,  and  excessive  rain  at  others, 
make  travelling  very  unpleasant.  There  are  now  (1874)  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  foreigners  living  in  Tokio,  most  of  them 
English  and  Americans.  The  majority  of  the  foreign  residents 
in  Tokio  are  in  the  service  of  the  Japanese  government.  The 
European  quarter  of  the  city,  called  Tsukiji  (filled-up  or  re- 
claimed land),  lies  to  the  southeast  of,  and  near,  the  railway 
station.     ISTo  foreigners  are  allowed  to  live  in  Tokio  outside 

*  The  railroad  station.  +  Spelt  also  Sinto,  and  Sintoo. 


YEDO.  89 

of  Tsukiji,  unless  in  government  or  Japanese  employ.  At 
Shiba,  Kai  Sei  Gakko,  Uyeno,  and  several  other  places  are 
'compounds,'  in  each  of  which  a  number  of  foreigners  live 
together.  Tokio  is  situated  on  a  large  plain  called  the  Kan  to 
(eastern  plain),  in  the  province  of  Musashi.  The  Japanese 
Emperor  Yamato  Dake  No  Mikoto  in  the  second  century 
conquered  and  tranquillized  this  part  of  the  main  island  of 
Japan.  Many  temples  in  his  honor  are  to  be  found  in  the 
Kanto.  Yedo  is  not  an  ancient  city.  Up  to  the  year  1600 
there  were  on  the  present  site  of  Tokio  only  a  small  castle  and 
a  number  of  straggling  villages  inhabited  by  farmers  or  fisher- 
men.  In  1355  Ota  Do  Kan,  a  famous  warrior  and  vassal  of 
the  Shogun  Sadamasa,  whose  capital  was  Kamakura,  twelve 
miles  from  Yokohama,  built  a  castle,  which  still  constitutes  the 
western  circuit  of  the  present  stronghold.  The  country  around 
the  castle  and  village  of  Yedo  was  still  very  wild  until  Iyesasu, 
the  first  Shogun  of  the  Tokugawa  line  (who  exercised  almost 
imperial  authority  over  Japan  from  1593  to  1868),  made  Yedo 
his  capital.  In  the  time  of  his  grandson  Iyemitsu,  the  Daimios 
fixed  their  permanent  half-yearly  residences  in  the  city,  which 
assumed  very  much  the  appearance  which  characterized  it  down 
to  the  year  1868.  The  name  Yedo  means  Door  of  the  Bay,  it 
being  situated  at  the  head  of  the  bay  of  Yedo,  shutting  it  like 
a  door.  In  1868,  after  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil  war,  and 
the  reduction  of  the  usurping  Shogun  to  the  rank  of  an  ordi- 
nary Daimio,  the  Mikado  came  to  Yedo,  which  was  called  Tokio, 


90  DOTTIXGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

or  Eastern  Capital.  The  name  Yedo  is  now  used  only  by- 
foreigners.  The  appearance  of  the  city  has  greatly  changed 
since  1868.  The  castle  and  many  Yaskikis  and  temples  have 
been  burned,  demolished,  or  have  fallen  to  decay.  New  houses 
in  what  is  called  the  "foreign  style,"  and  stone  or  brick  bar- 
racks, have  been  built ;  the  jinrikiskas  have  made  their  appear- 
ance, and  the  kaagos  or  norimons  which  were  borne  on  men's 
shoulders  have  disappeared ;  beggars,  naked  coolies,  men  wear- 
ing two  swords,  Daimios'  processions,  and  many  other  charac- 
teristic sights  and  scenes,  —  some  very  attractive,  others  very 
repulsive,  —  have  passed  away.  The  modern  Japanese  capital 
is,  in  a  measure,  both  a  Pompeii  and  a  Paris,  —  a  place  of  ruins 
and  a  newly  founded  city.  Modern  energy  and  civilization  are 
everywhere  found  jostling  the  old  indolence,  ancient  routine, 
and  traditional  custom. 

"  The  old  city  Avas  divided  into  thirty  wards  or  districts,  which 
still  retain  their  names.  That  part  of  the  city  lying  east  of  the 
Sumidagawa,  or  the  river,  is  called  Honjo.  Shiba  and  Asa- 
kusa  are  also  well-known  divisions.  Since  1869  the  city  has 
been  divided  into  six  great  divisions  and  ninety-six  subdivisions. 
It  is  a  Fit,  or  Imperial  city,  and  is  under  the  direct  control  of 
the  general  government.  The  police  force  numbers  thirty-five 
hundred  uniformed  men.  The  former  Daimios  now  live  pri- 
vately in  Tokio.  Many  of  their  old  retainers  are  government 
officials.  The  old  Shogun  lives  near  the  city  of  Shidzuoka, 
about  ninety-five  miles  from  Tokio.     The  military  garrison  of 


YE  DO.  91 

the  capital  usually  consists  of  about  seven  thousand  soldiers 
of  the  infantry,  cavalry,  artillery,  and  engineer  corps.  The 
population  of  Tokio,  in  1872,  was  789,000.  It  is  doubtful 
■whether  the  city  of  Yedo  ever  contained  over  one  million  souls. 
The  vast  extent  of  vacant  space,  as  well  as  the  lowness  and 
perishable  material  of  which  the  houses  are  built,  will  astonish 
most  persons  who  see  this  city  for  the  first  time.  For  over 
two  centuries  the  city  has  been  well  supplied  with  water 
brought  from  a  pond  and  river  several  miles  off  in,  and  dis- 
tributed by,  acpiieducts  made  of  wood,  which  require  to  be 
renewed  every  ten  years.  After  the  great  fire  in  1872,  the 
burnt  district  was  resurveyed,  new  and  substantial  buildings 
of  stone  or  brick  were  erected  in  semi-foreign  style,  many  of 
which  are  very  handsome." 

Leaving  the  railroad  station,  we  call  jinrikishas,  and  proceed 
through  the  chief  streets  of  the  city  on  our  way  to  Shiba,  — 
the  tombs  of  the  Shoguns.  The  same  street  scenes  are  to  be 
observed  here  as  in  Yokohama.  The  same  crowds  are  moving 
about  in  various  directions,  the  same  cries  and  shouts  are  to  be 
heard,  the  same  curious  buildings  are  on  either  side  of  the  way. 
We  arrive  at  the  outer  gate  of  the  premises,  and,  ordering  our 
jinrikishas  to  await  us,  pass  in.  "  We  enter  a  pebbled  court- 
yard in  which  are  over  two  hundred  large  stone  lanterns. 
These  are  the  gifts  of  the  Fudai  Daimios,  one  of  the  lower  grade 
of  vassals  of  the  Shogun.  Each  lantern  is  inscribed  with  the 
name  of  the  donor,  the  posthumous  title  of  the  deceased  Shogun, 


92  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

the  name  of  the  temple  at  Shiba,  and  the  province  in  which 
it  is  situated,  the  date  of  the  offering,  and  a  legend  which 
states  that  it  is  reverently  offered.  The  following  is  the  read- 
ing on  one,  and  will  serve  as  a  specimen  :  — 

TO   THE 

ILLUSTRIOUS  TEMPLE  OF  LEARNING 

(Posthumous  title  of  the  Shogun), 

This  stone  lantern, 

Set  up  before  the  tomb  at  the  temple  of  Zozoji, 

In  Musashi, 

Is  reverently  offered 

by  the 

Ruling  Daimio, 

Noble  of  the  fifth  rank, 

MASUYAMA    FUJIWARA    MASATO, 

Lord  of  Tsushima, 

In  the  second  Year  of  the  period  of  Strict  Virtue, 

In  the  cycle  of  Midzuno  ye  Tatsu. 

(1711.) 

"  Passing  through  a  handsomely  gilt  and  carved  gateway,  we 
enter  another  courtyard,  the  sides  of  which  are  gorgeously 
adorned.  Within  the  area  are  bronze  lanterns,  the  gift  of  the 
Kokushiu  Daimios,  vassals  of  a  much  higher  grade  than  the 
Fudai.  The  six  very  large  lanterns  standing  by  themselves 
are  from  the  Go  San  Ke,  the  three  princely  families  in  which 
the  succession  to  the  office  of  Shogun  was  vested.  To  the 
left  is  a  monolith  lavatory;   and  to  the  right  is  a  depository 


YEDO.  93 

of  sacred  utensils,  such  as  bells,  gongs,  lanterns,  etc.,  used 
only  on  matsuri,  or  festival  days.  Passing  through  another 
handsome  gate,  we  enter  a  roofed  gallery  somewhat  like  a 
series  of  cloisters.  In  front  is  the  shrine.  Entering  this, — 
either  with  or  without  shoes,  —  the  walls  and  ceiling  will  repay 
study.  Each  panel  of  the  wall  is  richly  wrought  in  arabesques 
and  high-relief,  the  patterns  and  objects  in  each  case  being 
different.  Above  some  steps  is  another  room,  in  which  are 
splendidly  gilded  reliquaries,  in  which  the  posthumous  titles 
of  the  deceased  are  treasured.  Descending  from  the  shrines, 
we  pass  up  another  court,  ascend  a  flight  of  steps,  and  enter 
another  pebbled  court,  in  which  is  a  smaller  building  called  a 
Hai-den,  formerly  used  by  the  living  Shogun  as  a  place  of 
meditation  and  prayer  when  making  his  annual  visit  to  the 
tombs  of  his  ancestors.  Beyond  it  is  another  flight  of  stone 
steps,  and  in  the  stone  enclosure  is  a  monumental  urn.  This 
is  the  '  simple  ending  to  so  much  magnificence.' " 

From  here  we  go  to  an  exquisite  little  temple  near  by,  and, 
having  removed  our  shoes,  are  invited  by  the  priest  to  sit 
down  near  the  shrine.  Here  it  is  delightfully  cool,  and  we 
stretch  ourselves  out  on  the  beautiful  matting  and  gaze  up  at 
a  large  idol  whose  precincts  we  are  invading.  A  high  altar, 
directly  behind  us,  conceals  this  part  of  the  temple,  —  and 
well  for  us  that  it  does!  On  the  other  Bide  of  the  altar  are 
several  natives  who  are  worshipping  the  god  at  whose  feet 
we   are  lying    in    such    disrespectful  positions.      We   hear  the 


94  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

murmured  prayers,  and  see  the  pieces  of  money  falling  near 
us,  thrown  to  the  god  by  the  faithful,  who  little  suspect  that 
some  "  barbarians  "  are  taking  their  ease  in  the  holy  sanctuary 
of  their  god,  —  a  place  to  which  they  themselves  never  pene- 
trate. These  beautiful  Japanese  temples !  what  a  curious 
attraction  they  possess ! 

Having  examined  the  other  tombs  in  the  vicinity,  we  return 
to  the  street,  and,  summoning  our  jinriJcisha-men  (who  are 
smoking  their  curious  little  pipes  while  resting  under  some 
trees  near  by),  we  call  out,  "  Atago  Yama,"  at  which  they  all 
smile  and  nod,  thus  assuring  us  that  they  comprehend  per- 
fectly where  we  wish  to  go.  Atago  Yama  is  a  hill  from  which 
a  fine  view  of  Yedo  and  the  surrounding  country  may  be 
obtained.  Two  wide  nights  of  stone  steps  lead  up  to  the  sum- 
mit from  the  street  below.  One  flight  is  built  straight  up- 
wards, the  other  winds  round  to  the  right.  The  former  is  for 
men,  the  latter  for  women.  This  arrangement  is  not  uncom- 
mon in  Japan.  The  view  from  the  top  of  the  hill  is,  indeed, 
most  beautiful.  On  one  side  is  the  bay  with  its  junks,  ships- 
of-war,  and  other  vessels.  A  little  beyond  are  the  forts.  In 
the  distance  are  Kadzusa  and  Awa.  To  the  south  is  Shina- 
gawa.  Looking  towards  the  city,  the  railroad  station  and  the 
houses  of  the  foreigners  may  be  seen.  The  great  clearness  of 
the  atmosphere  enables  us  to  mark  the  different  buildings 
with  ease.  Looking  now  to  the  west,  we  see  the  groves  of 
Uyeno,   the   castle   towers,  few  in  number,  that  still   remain, 


YEDO.  95 

the  great  temples,  and  the  houses  of  the  rich  banker,  Mitsui. 
To  the  northwest  is  the  Engineering  College.  From  the  west 
side  of  the  hill  we  see  Fuji-No-Yama  and  the  Hakone  Moun- 
tains. At  our  feet  lies  a  large  cemetery.  Looking  from  this 
hill  over  the  city,  one  is  greatly  impressed  with  the  multitude 
of  houses  which  lie  before  you. 

"We  sit  down  at  one  of  the  many  little  tables  covered  with 
awnings,  which  are  scattered  over  the  summit  of  the  hill,  and 
are  served  with  a  most  refreshing  drink,  —  a  fragrant  sort  of 
tea  made  from  cherry-blossoms,  called  sakura-yu.  Our  wait- 
ress is  the  most  beautiful  girl  we  have  yet  seen  in  the  coun- 
try. Her  complexion,  though  dark,  is  so  delicate  that  it  is 
very  like  one  of  our  own  brunettes.  Her  eyes  are  very  large 
and  soft,  her  teeth  very  regular  and  white,  and  her  thick 
black  hair  is  arranged  in  two  high  rolls,  which  are  kept  in 
position  by  a  long  tortoise-shell  pin.  She  has  a  flowing  robe 
of  some  cool-looking  material,  covered  over  with  large  Japan- 
ese patterns.  A  broad  sash  is  tied  about  her  waist,  aud  her 
bare  feet  are  thrust  into  little  slippers  of  braided  straw.  She 
serves  the  tea  in  little  cups,  wishes  us  all  a  polite  good-morn- 
ing, and  then  retires  to  superintend  the  manufacture  of  more 
sakwra-yu.  Sin:  is  very  graceful  in  all  her  movements,  and 
her  manners  are  truly  lady-like.  We  summon  a  native  who 
is  standing  near,  who  seems  to  understand  English,  and  re- 
quest him  to  act  as  interpreter.  We  call  for  more  tea,  ami 
thus  bring  our  pretty  attendant  into  our  vicinity.     Her  name 


96  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

is  Otsuru.  She  is  eighteen  years  old,  and  her  father  is  the 
proprietor  of  the  tea-booth  in  which  we  are  sitting.  She  has 
tended  it  for  several  years,  and  has  never  been  away  from  the 
city  of  Tokio.  She  is  very  glad  to  see  us,  for  she  knows  we 
have  come  a  long  way  from  our  home,  and  she  is  delighted 
that  we  enjoy  her  tea.  We  inquire  if  she  has  ever  had  her 
photograph  taken,  for  we  feel  sure  she  must  make  a  charming 
picture.  At  this,  she  covers  her  face  with  her  fan,  and,  refus- 
ing to  stay  longer,  runs  off  to  her  little  kitchen  near  by.  We 
send  successive  deputations  of  natives  to  demand  her  picture, 
but  she  waves  them  all  away.  Finally  she  goes  to  a  little 
lacquered  chest  and  takes  out  several  photographs  of  herself, 
which  she  presents  to  us.  We  bid  her  farewell  and  take  our 
leave.  At  the  foot  of  the  long  flight  of  steps  we  look  back. 
She  is  standing  under  her  tea-booth  gazing  out  over  the  city. 
Alas  for  your  beauty,  poor  Otsuru !  In  a  few  years  you  will 
become  the  proprietress  of  the  tea-booth  where  we  found  you. 
You  will  marry  some  small  farmer  or  petty  tradesman.  You 
will  stain  your  fine  teeth  black,  and  will  no  longer  attract 
the  notice  of  strangers. 

We  call  our  jinrikishas,  and  order  the  coolies  to  take  us  to 
Uyeno  (Upper  Plain).  This  is  a  cemetery  similar  to  Shiba, 
where  several  of  the  Shoguns  are  buried.  We  pass  along  a 
wide  and  thronged  street,  and  arrive  at  last  at  a  small  stream, 
crossed  by  three  bridges.  The  coolies  choose  the  middle  one. 
This  is  the  spot  where,  years  ago,  a  man  named  Sogoro  hid 


YEDO.  97 

himself,  and  as  the  norimon  of  the  Shogun  (who  had  paid 
his  regular  visit  to  the  tombs  of  his  ancestors)  was  passing 
over  the  bridge,  Sogoro  thrust  a  petition  suddenly  into  the 
hand  of  his  sovereign.  The  grievance  was  redressed,  but  So- 
goro, his  wife,  and  three  children  suffered  death  for  the  pre- 
sumption.* Uyeno  was  the  scene  of  a  battle  between  the 
troops  of  the  Shogun  and  the  Mikado,  July  4,  1869.  "The 
Mikado's  troops  made  rendezvous  at  the  three  bridges,  in 
front  of  the  black  gate,  the  evening  before.  The  adherents 
of  the  Shogun  were  strongly  posted  inside  the  enclosure  and 
on  rising  ground.  The  battle  lasted  several  hours,  but  by  plant- 
ing two  field-pieces  on  the  roof  of  a  neighboring  tea-house, 
the  Mikado's  troops  were  enabled  to  force  the  gates,  and 
to  drive  their  enemies  into  the  temple,  which  they  set  on 
fire." 

Having  explored  the  grounds  of  Uyeno,  and  visited  the 
tombs  and  temples  therein,  wre  continue  our  way  to  Asa- 
kusa  (Morning  Grass),  a  district  of  Yedo  containing  "  the 
most  popular  temple  in  Tokio  and  the  most  celebrated  in 
Japan."  We  enter  a  wide,  paved  courtyard.  On  both  sides 
are  little  booths  where  people  are  buying  and  selling  various 
kinds  of  small  wares.  A  large  red  building  called  the  gate- 
hall  .stands  in  front  of  the  temple  itself.  Two  colossal  gods 
called  Nid  (Kings)  guard  the  spot.      "  One    is    ever   ready  to 

*  See    Mitford's    "Tales  of    Old  Japan,"    Vol.    II.    ("The    Ghost  of    Sa- 
kura  "). 


98  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

welcome  the  man  who  repents  and  endeavors  to  reform ;  the 
other  "is  pleased  when  children  are  born  who  will  become 
good  men."  Flocks  of  sacred  pigeons  wheel  hither  and 
thither,  and  the  people  buy  grain  to  throw  to  them,  expect- 
ing a  blessing  from  the  gods  in  return.  Near  the  door  of 
the  temple  is  a  tablet  "  hung  up  by  a  grateful  Japanese  who 
escaped  death  when  the  steamer  City  of  Yah,  which  used 
to  ply  between  Tokio  and  Yokohama,  was  blown  up  in 
1870." 

The  temple  is  dedicated  to  the  god  Kuanon.  The  interior 
is  dimly  lighted,  but  we  can  see  that  the  main  hall  is  un- 
usually wide  and  high.  Men  and  women  are  continually 
passing  in  and  out  on  their  way  to  or  from  the  shrine.  Let 
us  watch  these  men  at  their  prayers.  They  make  their  way 
opposite  the  altar  and  fall  down  on  their  knees,  bow  their 
heads  to  the  ground,  and  stretch  forth  their  arms.  They  clap 
their  hands  three  times.  At  the  third  blow  Kuanon  will 
appear.  They  believe  he  is  now  before  them  in  very  reality. 
With  downcast  eyes  they  murmur  their  requests,  then,  drop- 
ping a  few  coins  into  a  chest,  make  way  for  others,  who  go 
through  the  same  performance.  The  worship  is  evidently  so 
honestly  and  humbly  rendered,  that  one  cannot  help  feeling 
sure  that  the  natives  are  thoroughly  in  earnest ;  and  it  is  my 
firm  opinion  that  the  majority  of  them  are  as  certain  that 
they  are  doing  their  full  duty,  as  is  the  most  punctilious 
Christian  who  never   misses  a  single    service  of  his    church. 


YEDO.  99 

"Stay  for  half  an  hour  near  these  poor  people,  watch  the 
expression  of  their  faces,  the  play  of  their  countenances,  the 
fervor  of  their  prayers,  and  then  tell  me  if  you  don't  think 
they  really  are  believers.  Doubtless  their  belief  is  the  lowest 
superstition;  but  they  do  believe  and  pray;  and  in  praying 
and  calling  upon  God  they  draw  near  to  him  whom  they 
ignorantly  worship.  That  they  may  ask,  one  for  the  suc- 
cess of  a  commercial  transaction,  another  for  the  fidelity  of  a 
husband,  or  a  new  dress,  —  what  does  it  signify  ?  They 
believe."* 

In  the  vicinity  of  the  temple  are  various  little  theatres 
where  a  sort  of  Punch  and  Judy  show  goes  on.  Behind  the 
main  hall  are  some  very  interesting  wax-figures  called  ningiyo. 
These  are  representations  of  miracles  performed  by  the  god 
Kuanon.  Near  by  is  a  large  garden  where  several  rare  plants 
may  be  seen. 

Leaving  the  grounds  of  Asakusa,  we  go  to  a  neighboring 
tea-house  for  lunch,  after  which  we  return  to  the  Shimbashi, 
and,  taking  the  train  for  Yokohama,  arrive  there  about  6  P.  m. 
In  the  cars  we  meet  two  of  our  fellow-travellers  of  the  Gnat 
Republic,  one  of  whom  is  in  a  great  deal  of  trouble  and  per- 
plexity. On  our  arrival  in  Japan  we  heard  of  the  failure  of 
the  Bank  of  California,  which  occurred  while  our  steamer  was 
on  the  Pacific;  and  one  of  these  gentlemen  had  deposited  all 
bis  fortune  in  the  bank  shortly  before  he  sailed,  taking  their 

*  Baron  Hiibner. 


100  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE  CIRCLE. 

circular  notes.  He  bears  now  that  his  property  is  all  lost. 
He  thinks  of  returning  by  the  next  steamer,  but  his  friend 
urges  him  to  await  further  news.* 

We  pass  a  delightful  evening  at  dinner  with  Mr.  Pdchard 
Irwin.  His  house  is  large  and  very  cool,  and  a  wide  garden 
separates  the  premises  from  the  street. 

*    Intelligence  was  soon  after  received  that  the  bank  would  pay. 


YOKOHAMA    TO   SHANGHAI.  IOI 


CHAPTER   VII. 

YOKOHAMA  TO    SHANGHAI. 

Yokohama  to  Kobe.  —  Osaka.  —  The  Inland  Sea.  —  Across  the  Yellow 
Sea  to  China. — Shanghai.  —  "Chin-chin-ing  the  Moon." 

September  1.  —  We  spend  the  day  in  walking  through  the 
chief  business  streets,  and  visiting  the  principal  stores,  and 
find  it  hard  to  make  a  selection  from  the  multitude  of  ex- 
quisite articles  that  surround  us  in  such  profusion.  In  the 
evening  we  dine  with  Mr.  John  Walsh,  of  Walsh,  Hall,  &  Co. 
What  a  charming  establishment !  Situated  on  the  coolest  part 
of  the  "  Bund,"  and  surrounded  with  wide  piazzas,  the  house 
seems  the  perfection  of  comfort.  Within,  high,  wide  rooms,  cool 
mattings,  and  chefs  cfceuvre  of  Japanese  art.  In  the  dining- 
room,  three  attentive  native  servants,  who  seem  to  anticipate 
their  master's  wishes.  Everything  easy,  enjoyable,  and  cool. 
To  us  fresh  from  America  such  a  style  of  life  seems  Utopian. 

Srptember  2.  —  We  devote  another  day  to  Curio  Street.  In 
the  evening  we  have  the  pleasure  of  Mr.  Richard  Irwin's 
company  to  dinner. 

September  3.  —  We  pay  a  final  visit  to  Yedo  to  visit  the 
shops,  but  find  that  the  market  at  Yokohama  is  far  superior. 
On  our  return  to  Yokohama  we  find  that  we  have  failed  to 


102  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

deliver  a  letter  of  introduction  to  Minister  Bingham,  which 
we  took  with  us  to  the  capital ;  and  as  we  start  to-morrow 
for  Kobe  and  Nagasaki,  we  shall  be  unable  to  make  the 
acquaintance  of  our  country's  representative. 

September  4.  —  Our  trunks  are  packed  and  on  the  wharf; 
an  export  duty  of  five  per  cent  has  been  paid  upon  all  our 
silk  purchases,  and,  thanks  again  to  Mr.  C.  P.  Hall,  the 
customs  officials  are  obliging  and  brief  in  their  dealings  with 
us.  Our  steamer  is  to  start  at  4  P.  M.j  it  is  now  noon,  and 
we  go  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Gustavus  Farley,  Jr.,  for  tiffin 
(breakfast).  Afterwards,  in  a  pouring  rain,  we  make  our  way 
to  the  "Bund,"  call  a  sampan,  and  are  soon  on  the  deck  of 
the  P.  M.  S.  S.  Oregonian,  Captain  Harris,  bound  for  Hiogo 
(Kobe),  Nagasaki,  and  Shanghai.  Just  before  we  leave,  our 
faithful  friend  Hall  comes  aboard  to  bid  us  farewell,  intro- 
duces us  to  the  purser,  Mr.  L.  B.  Hooff  (formerly  an  officer 
in  the  Confederate  Army),  and  soon  after  takes  his  departure. 
A  starting-gun  is  fired  from  the  deck  of  our  steamer,  and  we 
are  off.  Yokohama  fpiickly  disappears  behind  the  thick  cur- 
tain of  rain  and  mist.  Dinner  is  ready  at  six  o'clock,  and  we 
are  delighted   to   find   that   the  purser   has   placed  us  at  his 

own  table,  F being  on  his  left  hand,  and  I  on  his  right, 

while  Mr.   U sits    next  to  F .      Of   all    the    officers 

of  a  steamer,  the  purser  is  the  one  who  lias  the  most  direct 
influence  on  the  comfort  of  passengers.  He  it  is  who  appor- 
tions the  seats  at  the  table,  who  obtains  the  most  skilled  and 


YOKOHAMA    TO  SHANGHAI.  1 03 

attentive  waiters,  and  who  often  lias  at  the  last  minute  sev- 
eral choice  state-rooms  into  which  the  initiated  are  slipped. 
After  dinner  we  smoke  a  cigar  with  the  purser  in  his  office, 
and  this  over,  as  the  sea  has  risen  greatly,  causing  us  to  roll 
about  in  all  directions,  we  take  our  leave,  and  wedge  our- 
selves into  our  berths  as  securely  as  possible,  to  avoid  having 
our  brains  dashed  out  by  some  sudden  lurch  of  the  ship. 

September  5.  —  Although  the  rain  has  ceased,  the  sea  is 
still  very  rough,  and  our  vessel  is  tossed  about,  to  the  great 
discomfort  of  the  passengers.  Towards  evening,  however,  we 
run  into  smoother  water,  and  find  that  our  captain  expects 
to  reach  Kobe  to-morrow  at  daybreak. 

September  G.  —  Looking  out  of  my  state-room  window  at 
sunrise  this  morning,  the  scene  is  varied  and  beautiful.  At  a 
little  distance  off  lies  the  town  of  Kobe,  with  high  moun- 
tains rising  directly  behind  it.  The  harbor,  dotted  with  junks 
and  sampans,  is  bright  with  the  early  beams  of  the  sun ; 
while  near  by  I  hear  the  monotone  of  the  Japanese  coolies 
chanting  their  peculiar  cry  while  unloading  freight  from  our 
vessel.  Kobe  is  349  miles  from  Yokohama.  Although  it  is 
one  of  the  treaty  ports,  it  was  only  opened  in  18G8,  and  at 
present  probably  has  not  more  than  500  or  GOO  inhabitants. 
It  is  situated  a  mile  to  the  west  of  Hiogo.  A  railroad  con- 
nects it  with  the  great  city  of  Osaka,  the  old  capital  of  Japan, 
from  which  it  is  distant  about  sixteen  miles. 

After  breakfast  we  call  a  sampan  and  go  ashore  to  explore 


104  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

the  town.  Our  steamer  is  to  remain  here  twenty-four  hours, 
and  we  have  ample  time  to  visit  Osaka  itself.  On  reaching 
the  "  Bund "  we  inquire  for  the  house  of  Mr.  Robert  Walsh,  to 
whom  we  have  a  letter  of  introduction.  He  lives  near  by,  and 
soon  we  find  ourselves  at   his  door,  and    are  welcomed  most 

cordially.     He  is  an  old  schoolmate  of  our  friend  U ,  and 

they  have  not  met  for  years.  He  proposes  to  guide  us 
about  Osaka ;  but  as  he  cannot  leave  his  business  till  one 
o'clock,  he  advises  us  to  go  at  once  to  Osaka  and  occupy 
ourselves  in  visiting  the  Mint,  and  promises  to  meet  us  at 
luncheon;  after  which  he  will  escort  us  to  the  chief  objects 
of  interest  in  the  city.  So  we  walk  slowly  through  the  main 
street  of  Kobe  to  the  railroad  station,  and  after  waiting  a  few 
minutes,  enter  the  cars  and  start  for  Osaka.  The  country 
through  which  we  pass  is  similar  in  appearance  to  that  be- 
tween Yokohama  and  Yedo.  Broad  fields  of  rice  surround 
thatched  cottages ;  many  natives,  with  immense  shade-hats,  are 
working  in  the  meadows ;  and  flocks  of  beautiful  white  storks, 
disturbed  by  our  train,  launch  themselves  into  the  air  and 
float  away  to  some  more  peaceful  marsh. 

We  reach  Osaka  at  noon.  The  city  contains  over  500,000 
inhabitants.  Situated  on  four  rivers  (three  of  them  branches 
of  the  Yodogawa),  it  is  the  receptacle  of  all  foreign  merchan- 
dise bound  for  the  interior  of  Japan.  The  rivers  upon  which 
it  is  built  are  so  winding  that  nearly  three  hundred  bridges 
span  the  various  turns  and  angles. 


YOKOHAMA    TO  SHANGHAI.  105 

We  call  jinrihishas  and  proceed  to  the  "foreign  conces- 
sion," where  we  find  a  small  hotel.  Having  ordered  a  lunch, 
we  set  out  for  the  Mint.  The  streets  are  thronged;  but  the 
boats  on  the  different  rivers,  carrying  produce  and  merchan- 
dise of  all  sorts,  are  the  most  striking  objects  in  the  city. 
Having  arrived  at  the  Mint  (a  large,  well-built  structure),  we 
are  halted  at  the  gate  by  a  guard,  who  demand  our  cards. 
These  being  displayed  to  the  authorities,  they  are  returned  to 
us  stamped  with  the  necessary  order  of  admittance,  after 
which  we  are  given  into  the  charge  of  a  polite  official  who 
speaks  English  fluently,  who  conducts  us  over  the  establish- 
ment. We  find  the  very  best  modern  machinery  throughout, 
and  the  different  employes  seem  thoroughly  to  understand  its 
manipulation. 

On  leaving  the  Mint,  we  return  to  the  hotel  for  lunch. 
At  two  o'clock  Mr.  Walsh  arrives,  and  after  lunch  we  engage 
jinriklshas  and  are  soon  at  the  gates  of  the  Castle.  This 
fortification  was  the  residence  of  the  Tycoons  up  to  the  year 
1868,  when,  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion,  the  Tycoon 
was  deposed,  and  the  Mikado  was  restored  to  his  rightful 
rule  over  Japan.  It  was  in  this  vicinity  that  the  hardest 
fighting  of  those  days  took  place,  and  the  traces  of  the  strug- 
gle can  be  plainly  seen.  The  Castle  is  built  of  the  Largest 
Btones  that  could  bo  procured,  without  regard  to  labor  or 
cost,  some  of  the  single  blocks  being  thirty  feet  long  and 
twenty  broad !     In  many  places   fire    has    loosened    one   stone 


106  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

from  another;  there,  large  pieces  have  been  chipped  off,  the 
stone  steps  are  broken  and  scarred ;  while  here,  at  the  top  of 
the  mound,  the  residence  itself  of  the  Tycoon  —  inside  of  the 
very  strongest  portion  of  the  walls  —  has  been  utterly  swept 
away  by  the  torch  of  the  enemy.  A  fine  view  can  be  ob- 
tained from  this  spot,  and  one  can  look  across  over  Osaka 
with  its  winding  streams,  while  high  mountains  opposite  add 
to  the  beauty  of  the  picture.  A  sentry  accompanies  us  back 
to  the  gate  (for  the  place  is  held  by  a  garrison,  and  the 
visitor  must  send  in  his  card  to  the  commandant  of  the  post, 
who  will  detail  a  soldier  to  act  as  escort),  and,  passing  out, 
we  are  nearly  deafened  by  a  dreadful  discord  made  by  three 
companies  of  buglers,  who  are  all  practising  foreign  bugle- 
calls  at  the  same  time.  We  next  visit  a  very  old  and  ex- 
ceedingly sacred  pagoda,  called  Tentoji,  situated  about  three 
miles  from  the  Castle.  This  pagoda  is  so  ancient  that  the 
Japanese  themselves  are  said  to  be  ignorant  of  the  date  of 
its  'erection. 

It  is  now  half  past  five.  We  return  to  the  railroad  station 
and  take  the  train  for  Kobe,  which  we  reach  at  seven  o'clock. 
We  pass  a  very  pleasant  evening,  dining  with  Mr.  Walsh, 
and  at  eleven  o'clock  we  return  to  our  ship,  which  is  to 
leave,  as  I  have  said,  at  daybreak  to-morrow. 

Scptemhcr  7.  —  Although  a  fine  rain  somewhat  mars  the 
view,  the  scenery  along  the  Inland  Sea  is  magnificent.  Our 
steamer,  gliding  through  calm  water,  passes  within  a  stone's- 


YOKOHAMA    TO  SHANGHAI.  107 

throw  of  beautiful  green  hills,  which  rise  boldly  from  the  sea, 
cultivated  in  many  places,  with  little  villages  nestling  at  the 
base,  and  many  junks  and  sampans  moving  slowly  in  differ- 
ent directions.  A  fine  sunset  promises  a  clear  day  for  the 
morrow. 

Four  new  passengers  have  joined  us  at  Kobe,  —  Ex-Secretary 
Richardson  of  "Washington,  with  his  wife  and  daughter,  and 
Mr.  George  Hunter  of  London.  This  party  have  just  arrived 
from  Kioto,  and  only  a  few  days  ago  Mr.  Richardson  was 
stopped  in  the  interior,  and  was  told  that  he  had  passed  the 
treaty  limits  ;  but  on  summoning  the  proper  authorities  this 
was  pronounced  a  mistake,  and  an  apology  was  tendered  by 
the  officials. 

Scptcmhcr  8.  —  The  bright  day  that  succeeds  yesterday's 
storm  is  gratefully  recognized  as  most  fitting  in  which  to  view 
the  beautiful  scenery  that  forms  the  approach  to  Nagasaki. 
There  is  much  on  each  side  of  the  steamer  to  interest  us.  Our 
course  lies,  as  yesterday,  very  near  to  picturesque  hills  and 
hamlets.  The  water  is  without  a  ripple.  At  about  four  o'clock 
we  pass  Arched  Rock,  seven  hundred  and  eighteen  miles  from 
Kobe.  This  is  a  huge  rock  planted  almost  in  the  middle  of 
the  passage,  and  cleft  so  as  to  form  a  sort  of  natural  bridge. 
Soon  after  this  we  see  Papenberg,  a  perpendicular  wall  of  rock, 
from  whose  summit  four  thousand  Christians  were  hurled  in 
1638.  A  portion  of  the  island  is  covered  with  thick  vegeta- 
tion.    At  six  o'clock  we  enter  the  beautiful  harbor  of  Nagasaki, 


108  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

fire  our  arrival-gun,  and  come  to  a  stand-still.  Many  vessels 
are  already  anchored  here,  among  them  a  United  States  man- 
of-war. 

Nagasaki  is  built  at  the  foot  of  a  semicircle  of  hm'h  hills. 
The  European  quarter  is  situated  to  the  east.  On  the  western 
side  is  Detsirna,  the  former  Dutch  factory,  and  behind  this 
stretches  the  native  town.  Nagasaki  became  a  treaty  port  in 
1858.  Before  this,  the  Dutch  had  entire  control  of  the  trade, 
but  they  were  so  restricted  and  so  carefully  watched  by  the 
natives,  that  they  could  only  have  regarded  themselves  as 
prisoners. 

September  9.  —  We  breakfast  early  and  go  immediately 
ashore.  Having  presented  a  letter  of  introduction  to  Post- 
master Clarke  (who  kindly  offers  to  show  us  the  best  tortoise- 
shell  manufactories),  we  walk  through  the  town  with  him 
and  purser  Hooff,  and  are  delighted  with  the  beautiful  ob- 
jects for  sale  on  all  sides.  Exquisite  tortoise-shell  work 
and  tasteful  and  delicate  porcelain-ware  are  the  chief  pro- 
ductions. The  prices  asked  seem  very  reasonable,  but  a  little 
bargaining  is  always  expected.  At  noon  we  hear  the  United 
States  man-of-war  tiring  a  salute  in  honor  of  the  visit  of  Ex- 
Secretary  Eichardson.  At  five  o'clock  we  return  to  our  steamer, 
and  soon  after  we  are  making  our  way  through  the  China 
Sea,  bound  for  Shanghai. 

September  10.  —  A  steady  rain  which  has  continued  unceas- 
ingly since  daybreak  prevents  us  from  sitting  on  deck  to-day, 


YOKOHAMA    TO   SHANGHAI.  109 

and  further  annoys  us  by  tossing  up  (with  its  accompany- 
ing blasts  of  wind)  a  heavy  sea,  which  puts  the  majority 
of  the  passengers  in  an  unhappy  state  of  mind  and  body.  I 
have  a  long  talk  with  the  purser  in  regard  to  our  late  civil 
war.  The  purser  is  a  man  of  education  and  of  the  most  varied 
experiences  of  life.  He  possesses,  as  is  natural,  strong  South- 
ern sympathies.  He  speaks  of  the  assassination  of  President 
Lincoln,  and  characterizes  it  as  a  fanatical  abomination,  —  the 
most  damaging  occurrence  that  could  have  befallen  the  South. 
The  majority  of  Southerners  feared  that  the  North  would  re- 
gard them  as  instigators  of  the  murder  and  supporters  of  the 
murderer.  On  the  contrary,  it  was  viewed  as  a  most  grievous 
calamity.  In  regard  to  the  war  itself,  he  says  that  he  took 
up  arms  in  defence  of  a  principle  which  seemed  to  him  then 
as  sacred  and  as  honorable  as  any  which  had  ever  driven  men 
into  strife. 

September  11. —  At  9  a.m.  we  arrive  opposite  the  light-ship 
anchored  forty-five  miles  from  Shanghai,  and,  having  stopped 
to  take  on  board  a  pilot,  we  proceed  on  our  way.  The  water 
surrounding  us  is  now  of  a  dirty  yellow  color,  for  we  are  in 
the  outlet  of  the  great  Yang-tse-kiang,  which  sweeps  through 
China  for  many  hundred  miles.  At  ten  o'clock  we  see,  far 
ahead,  a  flat  green  shore,  and  soon  we  enter  the  "Wang-poo 
River  (on  which  Shanghai  is  situated),  and  look  with  eager- 
ness at  the  new  country  which  we  are  vapidly  approaching. 
As  we  glide  up  the  river  we  pass  several  merchant-junks  and 


110  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

one  Chinese  ship-of-war.  What  strange  objects !  Great  eyes 
are  painted  on  the  bows ;  for  the  people  firmly  believe  that 
a  vessel  without  them  is  unable  to  see  its  way  over  the 
water.  Their  reasoning,  expressed  in  "pigeon-English,"  is  as 
follows :  "  Ship  no  have  eye,  no  can  see.  If  no  can  see,  how 
can  walk  ? " 

At  half  past  two  we  arrive  opposite  the  warehouse  ("go- 
down")  of  the  P.  M.  S.  S.  Co.  Our  ship  fires  an  arrival- 
gun  and  comes  to  a  stand-still.  We  call  a  sampan ;  the  boat- 
men row  us  quickly  ashore.  We  leap  out,  and  set  foot  on 
the  Flowery  Kingdom,  the  Celestial  Empire ! 

Sqitcmber  12.  —  Shanghai,  eleven  hundred  and  ninety  miles 
distant  from  Yokohama  and  eight  hundred  miles  from  Hong- 
Kong,  was  opened  to  foreign  trade  in  1846.  The  foreigners 
(in  number  about  four  thousand)  live  apart  from  the  natives 
in  a  reservation  which  is  composed  of  the  American,  the  Eng- 
lish, and  the  French  "quarters."  Shanghai  contains  probably 
the  finest  warehouses  and  private  establishments  of  any  city 
in  the  Empire.  Indeed,  the  great  houses  of  the  merchants, 
stretching  along  the  "Bund,"  are  unnecessarily  elaborate.  An 
immense  amount  of  money  has  been  expended  by  the  foreign 
residents,  and  the  result  is  wide,  clean  streets,  a  superb  club- 
house, an  excellent  race-course,  theatre,  public  garden,  and 
boat-house.  The  city  is  thoroughly  drained,  and  a  well-disci- 
plined police  force  and  fire  company,  controlled  by  a  carefully 
chosen    foreign    municipal    government,    preserve    order    and 


YOKOHAMA    TO  SHANGHAI.  Ill 

security  everywhere.  The  Chinese  city  of  Shanghai  is  situ- 
ated about  a  mile  from  the  foreign  portion,  and  contains  about 
three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  inhabitants.  The  harbor  is 
crowded  at  all  times  with  steamers  and  sailing-vessels  bound 
to  all  parts  of  the  world. 

To-day  being  Sunday,  several  of  our  party  attend  the 
English  church.  Mr.  George  Hunter  (whose  arrival  on 
board  the  Oregonian  at  Kobe  I  have  mentioned)  has  de- 
cided to  accompany  us  to  Pekin.  He  has  long  wished  to 
make  the  trip,  but  felt  unwilling  to  start  alone,  knowing  that 
the  journey  overland  is  exceedingly  difficult,  and,  for  a  single 
traveller,  dangerous.  "We  are  very  glad  of  the  addition  to 
our  numbers,  and  anticipate  much  pleasure  from  the  com- 
panionship. 

We  have  determined  to  start  at  once  for  Pekin,  for,  quite 
early  in  the  fall,  the  trip  is  rendered  uncomfortable  by  the 
coldness  of  the  weather;  and  we  are  told  on  all  sides  that  we 
shall  accomplish  the  journey  under  the  most  favorable  auspices 
if  we  set  out  immediately. 

Scptcmhcr  13. —  As  we  are  to  leave  Shanghai  so  soon,  we 
only  present  a  few  of  our  letters  of  introduction,  —  one  to 
Ptussell  &  Co.,  one  to  Olyphant  &  Co.,  one  to  the  American 
consul,  Mr.  Seward,  and  one  other.  These  gentlemen  give 
us  much  information  in  regard  to  Tekin  and  the  way  thither, 
and  urge  us  to  call  on  them  on  our  return. 

September   14-  —  Fortunately    fur    us,  the    favorite    boat    of 


112  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

Eussell's  line — the  Shing  King —  is  to  leave  Shanghai  for 
Tien-tsin  (the  port  from  whence  travellers  proceed  overland  to 
Pekin)  to-morrow  at  daybreak;  and,  having  filled  our  valises 
with  our  roughest  clothes,  we  spend  the  rest  of  the  day  in 
packing  the  remainder  of  our  possessions,  which  are  to  be 
left  in  charge  of  the  manager  of  the  Astor  House.  Early  in 
the  afternoon,  however,  a  chit  (note)  is  brought  to  us  by 
one  of  Eussell's  servants,  which  informs  us  that  the  steamer 
will  be  unable  to  start  till  to-morrow  at  noon.  This  change 
will  o-ive  us  another  evening  on  shore,  and  we  can  therefore 
witness  the  Chinese  ceremony  of  "  chin-chin-ing  the  moon." 
To-day  is  the  middle  of  the  Chinese  month,  and  this  evening 
the  moon  is  to  be  "  chin-chin-ed,"  with  all  the  usual  illu- 
minations, explosions,  and  superstitions.  To-day  all  Chinamen 
must  pay  their  bills,  balance  their  books,  and  make  them- 
selves even  with  the  world.  This  being  done,  a  grand  illu- 
mination is  held  in  honor  of  the  moon's  Joss,  who,  if  the 
night  is  fine,  looks  down  benignly  with  a  full  round  face. 
At  eight  o'clock  we  leave  the  hotel,  and,  accompanied  by  Mr. 
H.  B.  Morse,  walk  along  the  "Bund,"  and  turn  down  Nanking 
Road,  and  are  soon  walking  by  the  houses  of  the  Chinese, 
built  close  together  on  each  side  of  the  way.  Every  doorway 
and  window  is  bright  with  the  light  of  huge  red  candles,  or 
red  paper  lanterns,  while  gold  and  silver  "  joss-pa]  >cr"  and 
brown  "joss-sticks"  burn  slowly  near  by,  throwing  forth  thick 
clouds  of   smoke,  which    the    Joss   of  the   moon   can   hardly 


YOKOHAMA    TO   SHANGHAI.  1 13 

consider  a  complimentary  equivalent  for  the  clear  rays  lie  is 
pouring  over  everything.  Fire-crackers  snap  and  fizz  on  all 
sides  of  us;  the  noise  from  cymbals,  gongs,  and  drums  is 
deafening;  while  every  junk  in  the  harbor,  and  every  joss- 
house  in  the  neighborhood  is  hung  with  red  lanterns,  —  the 
color  always  used  when  "  chin-chin-ing "  a  god.  At  an  early 
hour,  however,  thin,  hurrying  clouds  partially  obscure  the  sur- 
face of  the  moon;  in  consequence  of  which  the  "chin-chin- 
ing" is  to  be  continued  and  finished  to-morrow  evening. 

Before  returning  to  the  hotel  we  visit  the  Chinese  theatre, 
and,  passing  through  the  doorway,  are  met  by  a  servant, 
who  leads  us  down  the  main  aisle  to  one  of  several  small 
tables  near  the  stage,  and,  having  seen  us  comfortably  seated, 
leaves  us,  but  returns  soon  with  four  large  cups  of  tea,  some 
dried  seeds,  and  some  cigar-lighters,  all  which  he  places 
before  us,  and  then  departs  to  perform  a  like  service  for  a 
party  of  Chinese  merchants,  who  have  seated  themselves  at  a 
neighboring  table.  The  theatre  is  small,  but  well  lighted;  the 
stage  is  large,  but  the  scenery  consists  simply  of  curtains,  on 
which  are  painted  Chinese  inscriptions  of  varied  import.  A 
balcony  runs  round  the  upper  part  of  the  house.  The  play 
is  similar  to  the  one  we  witnessed  at  the  Chinese  theatre  in 
San  Francisco;  and  after  spending  some  time  in  trying  to  com- 
prehend the  plot,  we  are  compelled  to  abandon  the  attempt, 
for  the  actions  of  the  players  are  utterly  unintelligible.  Turn- 
ing now  to  the    left,  we    all    raise    our    teacups,   and,    in    our 


114  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

turn,  toast  a  fat  old  Chinaman  with  immense  spectacles,  who 
from  a  neighboring  table  has  recognized  Mr.  Morse  (a  resi- 
dent of  Shanghai),  and  has  greeted  him  according  to  the 
custom  of  the  country.  Soon  after  this,  the  incessant  noise 
from  the  gongs,  drums,  and  cymbals  of  the  orchestra  (seated 
on  the  stage)  induces  us  to  make  our  way  towards  the  door; 
hut  one  of  the  ushers  urges  us  so  strongly  to  remain  a  little 
longer,  "and  see  little  boys  makee  fight,"  that  we  return  to 
our  seats.  The  "little  boys"  soon  appear,  dressed  in  fantas- 
tic costumes,  representing  dragons  and  devils,  and,  in  the 
midst  of  flames  of  red  fire,  perform  excellently  with  short 
sticks  which  they  hold  in  their  hands,  —  whirling  them  around 
their  heads  and  about  their  bodies,  and  finally  clashing  them 
together.  After  this  we  leave  the  theatre  and  return  to  our 
hotel. 


SHANGHAI  TO  PEKIN.  115 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

SHANGHAI  TO  PEKIN. 

Shanghai  to  Che-foo.  —  A  Storm  in  the  Gulf  of  Pe-chi-li.  —  Tien- 
tsin. —  Overland  to  Pekin.  —  A  Chinese  Inn.  —  Arrival  at  the 
Capital. 

September  15.  —  At  twelve  o'clock,  having  left  the  larger 
portion  of  our  baggage  at  the  hotel  to  await  our  return,  we 
go  on  board  of  the  Siting  King,  which  is  to  carry  us  to  Tien- 
tsin. We  find  it  a  most  excellent  craft,  built  in  Glasgow  in 
1873,  with  very  comfortable  cabin  arrangements,  and,  as  we 
are  the  only  passengers,  we  have  the  whole  boat  to  ourselves. 
We  have  the  further  good  fortune  to  be  in  the  charge  of  a  cap- 
tain who  is  as  sincerely  liked  as  he  is  widely  known,  —  Captain 
Hawes  of  Scarsport,  Maine.  Always  on  the  lookout  for  the 
comfort  of  passengers,  ready  at  all  times  for  a  story  or  a  laugh, 
and,  above  all,  zealous  in  the  performance  of  every  part  of  his 
profession,  they  are  lucky,  indeed,  who  come  under  his  care. 

At  two  o'clock  the  Siting  King  leaves  her  moorings  and 
glides  rapidly  down  the  river.  We  pass  another  steamer  of 
Russell's  line  coming  up,  whose  captain  gives  us  the  gratifying 
news  that  "it's  blowing  guns  outside."  In  spite  of  this,  how- 
ever, we  continue  on  our  way,  reach  the  light-ship  at  six  o'clock, 
and  are  once  more  navijratinj'  the  Yellow  Sea. 


Il6  DOTTIXGS  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

September  16.  —  The  sea  to-day  is  as  calm  as  can  be  desired, 
and  the  hours  pass  quickly.  A  bright  moon  lights  us  on  our 
way  at  night. 

September  17.  —  At  five  o'clock  this  morning  South  Promon- 
tory is  seen  far  ahead,  and,  after  passing  it  in  due  time,  our 
course  lies  all  day  within  sight  of  various  islands,  uninhabited 
and  desolate.  At  8  p.  M.  we  reach  Black  Eock,  —  ten  miles 
from  Che-foo,  —  and,  having  passed  round  the  lighthouse,  are 
soon  making  our  way  among  the  shipping,  native  and  for- 
eign, anchored  off  the  town.  At  ten  o'clock  we  drop  our  an- 
chor, and  two  long  whistles  announce  the  steamer's  arrival. 

Che-foo  is  the  summer  habitation  and  watering-place  of  the 
foreign  residents  of  Shanghai  and  Pekin.  It  is  situated  at  the 
head  of  a  beautiful  harbor,  has  a  fine  beach,  and  a  good  hotel. 
Vessels  of  war  find  good  anchorage  here,  and  in  1860  the  French 
fleet  made  it  a  rendezvous.  The  United  States  man-of-war 
Kearserge  lies  at  anchor  near  our  steamer,  and  several  other 
gun-boats  —  French,  English,  and  Dutch  —  are  in  the  vicinity. 

September  IS.  —  As  our  steamer  is  to  leave  at  nine  o'clock, 
we  breakfast  early  and  go  immediately  ashore,  taking  our  Chi- 
nese servant  (whom  we  obtained  in  Shanghai)  as  our  guide. 
We  walk  through  the  streets  of  the  native  town,  narrow,  dirty, 
and  full  of  the  horrible  odors  which  always  pervade  the  habi- 
tations of  these  people.  The  men  are  dressed  in  the  same 
pijamah-like  costume  that  we  observed  on  their  fellow-coun- 
trvmen  in  San  Francisco.     All  wear  the  cue.     The  women  are 


SHANGHAI   TO  PEKIX.  wj 

very  plain  and  unattractive.  Their  garments  are  exceedingly 
unbecoming,  and  their  poor  little  feet  oblige  them  to  hobble 
alirng  as  if  walking  on  sticks  of  wood  whittled  down  to  a  point. 
A  half-hour's  survey  of  this  place  is  quite  sufficient,  and,  hav- 
ing returned  to  the  Shing  King,  we  see  the  town  disappear  in 
the  distance  with  no  great  regret.  Our  passenger-list  is  in- 
creased by  two,  —  Colonel  Eli  Shepherd,  United  States  consul 
at  Tien-tsin,  returning  to  his  official  residence,  and  an  English 
merchant  bound  to  Pekin  on  business.  At  three  o'clock  we 
pass  the  numerous  islands  which  divide  the  Yellow  Sea  from 
the  Gulf  of  Pe-chi-li,  and  are  glad  to  find  calm  water  in  this 
place  so  noted  for  rough  weather. 

September  19.  —  At  five  o'clock  this  morning  I  am  awakened 
by  a  confused  noise,  and,  starting  up  in  my  berth,  I  see  that 
the  walls  of  my  state-room  are  illuminated  with  a  strange, 
dull  light,  entirely  dissimilar  to  the  beams  from  an  ordinary 
sunrise.  Going  quickly  through  the  cabin  to  the  gangway,  I 
find  the  majority  of  the  passengers  intently  watching  a  spot 
in  the  heavens  from  whence  a  heavy  squall  is  rushing  rapidly 
upon  us.  The  sun  has  just  risen  above  the  horizon,  and  its 
clear  rays  mingling  with  the  sudden  blackness  cause  the 
curious  light  I  noticed  on  the  walls  of  my  state-room.  Furi- 
ous gusts  of  wind  soon  break  full  upon  us,  lashing  the  sea 
into  angry  waves.  Little  by  little  the  darkness  increases,  the 
sun  is  blotted  out,  and  we  might  almost  suppose  it  was  niid- 
night.      "We.    are   directly   opposite   the    bar    at    the    entrance 


118  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

to  the  Peiho  Eiver,  —  a  dangerous  and  difficult  place  in  which 
to  navigate  in  a  storm.  The  captain,  seeing  that  it  is  impos- 
sible for  the  steamer  to  make  any  headway,  decides  to  anchor 
till  the  squall  has  passed,  when  we  may  take  a  pilot  and 
ascend  the  river.  As  he  is  leaving  the  wheel-house  to  give 
the  order  to  drop  the  anchor,  a  fierce  blast  lifts  him  from 
his  feet,  and  sweeps  him  across  the  deck.  Fortunately  he 
grasps  the  railing,  and,  clinging  to  it  with  all  his  strength, 
is  saved.  His  loud  cries  to  the  sailors  near  the  anchor  to 
"  Let  go  • "  "  Let  go  ! "  the  whistling  of  the  wind  through  the 
rigging,  and  the  creaking  of  the  ship,  —  coming  as  all  this  does 
at  such  an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  —  form  an  unpleasant 
opening  to  the  day.  By  this  time,  however,  the  worst  part 
of  the  storm  has  passed,  and  at  nine  o'clock  the  sun  is  shin- 
ing brightly,  the  sky  is  clear,  and  the  sea  calm.  The  bar 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Peiho  Eiver  must  be  passed  at  full  tide; 
and,  owing  to  delay  on  account  of  the  storm,  we  are  obliged 
to  wait  till  four  o'clock  of  the  afternoon  before  proceeding  on 
our  way.  When  that  hour  arrives,  having  received  our  pilot, 
we  resume  our  voyage,  and,  passing  the  Taku  forts  (near 
which  the  English  and  French  Allies  were  temporarily  de- 
feated   in    1859-60),*    we    cross    the    bar,   and    begin    the 


*  The  Allied  fleets,  under  Admiral  Hope,  captured  these  forts  August  21, 
1860.  Commodore  Tatnall,  of  the  United  States  Navy,  offered  his  assistance 
to  the  English,  adding  the  well-known  remark  that  "blood  is  thicker  than 
water." 


SHANGHAI   TO  PEKIX.  1 19 

ascent  of  the  river.  We  wind  slowly  up  the  narrow  and 
crooked  stream,  past  frequent  villages  on  either  bank,  with 
houses  built  entirely  of  mud,  the  buildings  and  people  look- 
ing dirty,  squalid,  and  miserable.  In  some  parts  of  the  river, 
the  stream,  always  narrow,  bends  at  right  angles  to  itself; 
and  as  steamers  are  obliged  to  run  along  a  narrow  channel 
through  lines  of  junks  anchored  on  each  side, — whose  owners 
are  always  ready  to  stone  any  foreign  craft  that  encroaches 
upon  them,  —  great  care  is  necessary  to  bring  a  vessel  safely 
to  Tien-tsin.  It  is  very  unusual  for  a  captain  to  escape 
hitting  one  bank  or  the  other  in  running  from  the  bar  to 
Tien-tsin;  and  after  we  have  navigated  half-way,  without  any 
such  delay,  and  are  congratulating  ourselves  on  the  probability 
of  an  uninterrupted  passage,  suddenly,  having  turned  round 
a  sharp  bend,  we  drift  a  little  too  far,  and  in  a  moment 
more  our  steamer  lies  still,  fast  to  the  bank,  with  one  paddle- 
wheel  firmly  imbedded  in  the  mud  of  the  bottom,  and  the 
bow  pointing  directly  into  a  little  village  near  by.  A  boat 
is  lowered  at  once;  a  long  rope,  with  one  end  attached  to 
the  bow  of  the  steamer,  is  taken  to  the  other  bank ;  and  1  >y 
the  united  efforts  of  eight  men  we  are  drawn  little  by  little 
into  deep  water.  This  occurs  twice  again  before  our  arrival 
at  Tien-tsin,  but  at  2  A.  M.  we  arc  safely  tied  to  the  dock. 

September  W.  —  Tien-tsin  is  situated  on  the  south  bank  of 
the  Peiho  River,  and  at  the  end  of  the  (hand  Canal.  It  ia 
distant  thirty-eight  miles  from  the  Taku  forts,  seven  hundred 


120  DOTTINGS  ROUXD   THE   CIRCLE. 

and  twenty-five  from  Shanghai,  and  eighty  (as  the  crow  flies) 
from  Pekin.  It  contains  two  hundred  thousand  inhabitants, 
has  a  small  foreign  reservation,  and,  owing  to  its  position  on 
the  Grand  Canal,  it  receives  immense  quantities  of  merchan- 
dise destined  for  all  parts  of  the  Empire.  Here,  on  June  21, 
1870,  occurred  the  abominable  massacre  of  the  French  nuns 
and  priests,  as  well  as  the  consul  himself.  For  this,  Lieuten- 
ant-General  Chung-how  was  responsible.  Although  certain 
apologies  were  made  by  the  Chinese  government  for  the 
outrage,  and  an  indemnity  paid,  yet  the  actual  guilty  parties 
have  never  been  punished. 

The  distance  from  Tien-tsin  to  Pekin  —  eighty  miles  by 
land  and  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  by  water  —  can  be 
accomplished  in  three  ways.  The  traveller  may  engage  a 
"  house-boat,"  —  a  long,  wide  boat  with  a  cabin,  —  and  be 
rowed  up  the  Peiho  by  coolies  to  Tung-chow,  where  donkeys 
can  be  obtained  for  the  remaining  fifteen  miles  of  the  jour- 
ney; or  one  may  ride  across  the  country  on  ponies,  stopping 
over  night  at  the  native  inns;  or  one  may  hire  a  Chinese 
cart  —  horribile  dictu !  —  and  be  driven  to  Pekin,  which  is 
sure  to  be  reached,  if  travelling  by  this  latter  method,  with 
scarcely  a  whole  bone  in  one's  body;  for  a  Chinese  road  is 
only  another  name  for  a  succession  of  deep  ruts  and  a  pro- 
fusion of  stones ;  and  while  a  pony  may  be  made  to  avoid 
at  least  some  of  these  obstacles,  the  carts,  built  without 
springs,  are  sure  to  jolt  over  them  all.     The  pony  has  an  ad- 


SHANGHAI   TO  PEKIN.  121 

vantage  over  the  boat,  in  going  from  Tien-tsin  to  Pekin ;  for 
while  four  or  five  days  are  required  to  push  the  boat  up 
stream  and  for  the  traveller  to  afterwards  ride  from  Tung- 
chow  to  the  capital,  the  whole  distance  across  country  can 
be  accomplished  on  horseback  in  two  days  by  all  who  are 
accustomed  to  this  method  of  locomotion. 

For  these  reasons  we  decide  to  travel  on  ponies,  and  im- 
mediately after  breakfast  this  morning  we  go  to  the  office  of 
the  American  consul,  who  has  kindly  promised  to  engage 
ponies  and  carts  for  us,  as  well  as  two  mafus  (who  corre- 
spond to  the  bettos  of  Japan)  to  act  as  guides  and  to  take 
care  of  the  horses.  The  carts  are  necessary  to  carry  our  mat- 
tresses, canned  food,  plates,  knives  and  forks,  etc.  (for  none 
of  these  things  are  found  at  the  inns),  and  also  countless 
strings  of  native  copper  coins,  called  "  cash."  The  consul  has 
also  applied  to  the  Tao-tai  of  the  city  for  the  necessary  pass- 
port for  our  party.  Having  made  arrangements  to  start  at  an 
early  hour  on  the  morrow,  we  are  kindly  invited  to  tiffin 
by  Mr.  J.  Twinem,  commissioner  of  customs  for  the  Chinese 
government,  to  whom  we  have  a  letter  of  introduction.  Lunch 
over,  we  mount  ponies,  and  in  company  with  Mr.  Twinem 
and  an  English  merchant,  ride  outside  of  the  city  to  the 
"Treaty  Joss-House,"  or  "  Hai  Quang  Tsu,"  where  the  treaty 
between  the  Allies  and  the  Chinese  was  signed  in  1860  by 
Lord  Elgin  and  Prince  Kung.  Besides  the  usual  large  idols, 
there    are   many  small    ones,  formed    of  a   sort   of  clay,  and 


122  DOTTING S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 


grotesquely  painted,  which  are  placed  round  the  room  at  the 

feet  of  the  larger  deities.     Calling  an  aged  priest  aside,  F 

and  I  exhibit  small  silver  coins,  and,  pointing  at  a  little  joss 
near  by,  demand  "two  piecee  god  all  same  like  that."  The 
priest,  making  sure  that  we  are  unobserved,  thrusts  our 
money  under  his  cloak,  and,  snatching  two  of  the  gods  from 
their  places,  hands  them  to  us,  and  we  quickly  put  them  out 
of  sight.  On  our  return  to  the  city,  Mr.  Twinem  insists,  with 
great  hospitality,  upon  our  dining  with  him.  At  the  conclu- 
sion of  the  dinner  he  introduces  us  at  the  foreign  club, 
where  we  meet  an  officer  of  an  English  gun-boat  (lately 
arrived  at  Tien-tsin),  who  gives  us  information  which  rather 
discourages  our  intended  overland  trip  to  Pekin. 

In  the  summer  of  1874  Augustus  Raymond  Margary,  a 
young  and  promising  member  of  the  China  consular  service, 
was  sent  from  Pekin  by  the  British  Minister  with  a  special 
passport,  to  meet  a  small  embassy,  under  the  leadership  of  Colo- 
nel Horace  Browne,  which  had  been  ordered  by  the  govern- 
ment of  India  to  proceed  into  Yiin  Nan,  crossing  the  frontier 
from  the  Burmese  side.  Though  frequently  molested  along  the 
road,  as  his  published  journal  attests,  Margary  joined  Colonel 
Browne  in  safety  at  Bhamo.  "The  mission  had  entered  China, 
and  was  but  a  short  distance  from  Manwyne,  when  Mr.  Mar- 
gary pushed  on  (alone)  to  that  town.  He  had  passed  a  week 
in  it  on  his  journey  southward.  At  Manwyne,  according  to 
testimony  too  strong  to  be  doubted,  he  was  murdered  on  the 


SHANGHAI  TO  PEKIN.  123 

21st  of  February.  An  attack  was  made  on  the  following  morn- 
ing on  Colonel  Browne's  party,  which,  however,  after  a  sharp 
struggle,  was  enabled  to  draw  off  without  serious  loss."* 

Ever  since  poor  Margary's  death,  the  British  Minister  at 
Pekin  has  continually  pressed  the  Chinese  government  for 
reparation ;  and  although  many  promises  have  been  made,  the 
Chinese  are  apparently  determined  not  to  consent  to  the  full 
demands  of  the  English.  Matters,  however,  have  now  reached 
a  crisis.  The  English  Minister,  wearied  and  annoyed  with  the 
procrastination,  has  formally  notified  the  Chinese  government 
that  the  22d  of  September  will  be  the  last  day  he  shall  allow 
them  for  consideration ;  and  if  they  have  not  acceded  to  his 
terms  by  that  time,  he  shall  withdraw  his  legation  from  the 
capital  and  shall  consider  friendly  negotiations  at  an  end. 
Moreover,  the  English  admiral  (in  whose  fleet  our  informant 
is  stationed)  has  been  requested  by  Mr.  Wade  to  hold  several 
ships-of-war  in  readiness  off  Tien-tsin,  either  to  receive  him  on 
his  arrival  at  the  coast,  or,  in  case  of  extreme  necessity,  to 
march  the  men  across  country  to  his  relief. 

Such  is  the  political  state  of  the  country  through  which  we 
are  about  to  travel.  As  the  common  people  do  not  distinguish 
between  English  and  Americans,  both  being  obnoxious  "for- 
eign devils,"  our  reception  in  the  different  villages  is  likely  to 
be  rather  inhospitable.  The  English  naval  officer  even  counsels 
us  to  abandon  the  expedition,  and  urges  us  not  to  expose  our- 

*  See  Preface  to  Margary's  Journal. 


124  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

selves  unnecessarily  to  danger  or  insult.  On  the  other  hand, 
we  have  made  all  our  preparations  to  go ;  our  party,  including 
guides,  hostlers,  and  servant,  numbers  nine  persons ;  we  possess 
passports  from  the  Tao-tai  of  Tien-tsin,  giving  us  full  permission 
to  travel  to  Pekin  (and  beyond,  to  the  Great  Wall),  and  warn- 
ing all  Chinamen  against  molesting  or  hindering  us ;  we  hold 
letters  of  introduction  to  three  ministers  at  the  capital,  —  the 
American,  the  English,  and  the  German;  furthermore,  the 
Chinese  may  yield  at  the  last  moment  to  the  demands  of 
the  English,  tranquillity  may  be  restored,  and  the  threatened 
troubles  averted.  We  cannot  give  up  our  visit  to  Pekin !  We 
will  start  as  planned ! 

September  21.  —  At  six  o'clock  we  despatch  the  carts  (con- 
taining our  baggage,  food,  mattresses,  etc.)  in  charge  of  our 
servant,  and  we  ourselves  start  soon  after  on  ponies,  our  mafus 
leading  the  way.  Passing  through  the  native  city  as  quickly 
as  possible  (for  the  dirt  and  odors  are  sickening),  we  strike 
across  a  barren  plain  covered  with  innumerable  graves,  —  little 
conical  heaps  of  earth  and  bricks  which  cover  the  coffins  (laid 
on  the  surface  of  the  ground)  from  sight.  These  curious  graves 
may  be  seen  in  the  vicinity  of  every  city  and  along  almost 
every  road  in  China.  As  we  wish  to  reach  Pekin  in  two  days, 
we  must  accomplish  forty  miles  each  day.  We  ride  along  at 
a  steady,  brisk  gait,  for  several  hours.  The  country  is  culti- 
vated only  in  the  vicinity  of  wretched  mud-villages  scattered 
here  and  there,  and  everything  about  us  looks  neglected  and 


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SHANGHAI   TO  PEKIN.  1 25 

desolate.  At  noon  we  reach  the  town  of  Yang-tsin,  distant 
twenty  miles  from  Tien-tsin,  and  proceed  slowly  through  the 
filthy  streets  on  the  lookout  for  a  native  inn  where  we  may 
eat  luncheon  and  give  our  horses  a  rest.  The  people  gather 
on  each  side  of  the  street  in  crowds  to  see  us  pass,  gaze  at  us 
with  intense  curiosity,  and  make  it  evident  that  our  appear- 
ance causes  them  great  amusement.  "When  we  have  arrived 
at  the  inn  and  have  dismounted,  they  press  round  us  from  all 
sides,  examine  and  criticise  the  texture  of  our  clothes,  look 
wonderingly  at  our  shoes  and  hats,  and  finally  burst  into  a 
loud  laugh  at  our  general  aspect.*  Leaving  Yang-tsin  imme- 
diately after  lunch,  we  continue  our  journey,  and  after  much 
delay,  on  account  of  a  rise  of  the  Peiho,  which  has  overflowed 
the  usual  track  and  which  obliges  us  to  make  a  long  detour, 
and  after  a  half-hour's  chase  for  the  runaway  pony  of  one 
of  our  party  who  was  unseated,  we  reach  Ho-see-woo,  our 
resting-place  for  the  night,  at  eight  o'clock,  having  accomplished 
forty  miles  since  morning.  Our  carts  arrive  soon  after,  and, 
having  made  a  very  excellent  supper  of  our  canned  food,  and 
rice  and  eggs  procured  in  the  town,  we  stretch  our  mattresses 
on  the  brick  congs,  and,  lying  down  in  our  clothes,  are  soon 
asleep,  our  long  horseback  ride  proving  a  capital  soporific. 

A  Chinese  inn  is  decidedly  uninviting  in  its  general  out- 
ward appearance,  and  a  closer  acquaintance  with  its  interior 
arrangements    is   scarcely  more  encouraging.     A  wall    of  mud 

*  One  niiin  uvcii  Ins/el  of  one  of  our  riding-gloves. 


126  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

and  bricks,  about  eight  feet  high,  shuts  in  the  premises  from 
the  village  street,  and  passing  this  you  find  yourself  in  a  sort 
of  quadrangle  with  low  brick  buildings  on  three  sides,  partly 
devoted  to  cattle  and  partly  to  men.  Being  a  foreigner,  you 
are  met,  on  your  arrival,  by  the  proprietor,  and,  after  exchanging 
most  obsequious  chin-chin-ings*  you  are  led  at  once  to  the  best 
room.  This  turns  out  to  be  a  little  chamber  about  fifteen  by 
twenty  feet,  in  which  is  a  table,  four  chairs,  and  a  brick  cong, — 
a  sort  of  platform,  about  six  feet  long  and  three  feet  high. 
Upon  this  you  are  to  stretch  your  mattress,  which  (of  course) 
you  have  brought  with  you.  The  very  next  partition  to  yours, 
possibly,  may  be  a  simple  stall  in  which  are  quartered  horses, 
mules,  camels,  or  sheep  !  The  whole  quadrangle  is  thus  filled 
with  men  and  beasts ;  and  early  in  the  morning  or  at  even- 
ing one  may  see  an  indiscriminate  crowd  of  Chinese  and  Mon- 
golians, who,  with  their  beasts,  have  just  arrived  or  are  pre- 
paring to  depart.  Pace,  eggs,  mutton,  and  tea  may  be  obtained, 
but  everybody  brings  food  with  them.  In  cold  weather  a  sort 
of  stove  under  each  cong  is  filled  with  charcoal,  and  the  bricks 
are  comfortably  warmed.  The  proprietors  of  the  best  inns  place 
in  their  "foreigner's  room"  various  pictures  illustrating  Chi- 
nese life,  together  with  Confucian  maxims  painted  in  large 
red  characters  on  long  narrow  strips  of  thick  paper.  The  usual 
Chinese  inn  is  dirty  and  thoroughly  uncomfortable,  and  a  for- 

*  The  closed  fists  are  placed  together  and  raised  up  and  down  to  correspond 
with  low  inclinations  of  the  body  ;  the  two  men  performing  the  ceremony  look 
into  each  other's  eyes  and  ejaculate,   "Chin-chin!" 


SHANGHAI   TO  PEKIN.  1 27 

eigner  is  sure  to  have  at  least  a  quarter  of  the  village  sur- 
rounding his  door  from  the  first  moment  of  his  arrival,  watch- 
ing his  every  movement,  and  gazing  in  deep  astonishment  at 
his  peculiar  method  of  conveying  his  food  to  his  mouth.  An 
empty  bottle  or  sardine-box  is  highly  prized,  and  a  fierce 
wrangle  is  caused  by  tossing  one  out  of  the  inn  door.  It  was 
at  Ho-see-woo,  indeed,  that  we  lost  one  of  our  forks,  and, 
having  sent  our  servant  to  inquire  for  it,  we  received  the  in- 
formation that  the  villagers,  never  having  seen  such  an  article 
before,  wished  to  preserve  it  as  a  curiosity ! 

September  22.  —  It  is  impossible  for  a  traveller  to  sleep  un- 
interruptedly at  a  Chinese  inn.  From  hour  to  hour  one  hears 
loud  cries  from  men,  shrill  blasts  of  horns,  the  beating  of 
drums,  the  explosion  of  fire-crackers,  and  a  peculiar  noise 
made  by  the  town  watchmen  by  striking  together  two  sticks 
of  wood.  Chinamen  delight  in  harsh  sounds,  and  even  in  their 
daily  occupations  they  roar  and  shout  at  one  another  as  if 
they  were  all  stone-deaf.  Soon  after  daybreak,  moreover,  the 
whole  inn  is  astir.  The  courtyard  is  filled  with  a  crowd  of 
men  and  beasts,  and  further  sleep  is  out  of  the  question. 

For  these  reasons  we  breakfast  at  sunrise,  and  have  soon 
mounted  our  horses  and  are  on  our  way.  Our  track  lies,  as 
yesterday,  through  a  flat,  uninteresting  country,  with  squalid 
mud-villages  here  and  there,  and  hundreds  of  graves  heaped 
up  along  the  road.  We  planned  to  lunch  at  Chang-chea-wang, 
half-way  from  Ho-see-woo  to  Pekin,  but,  owing  to  a  delay  of 


128  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

our  carts,  we  are  obliged  to  stop  at  a  wretched  village  near 
by,  where  we  make  as  short  a  stay  as  possible,  and  press  on 
to  our  final  destination.  At  two  o'clock  it  begins  to  rain 
heavily,  and  we  canter  rapidly  along,  all  of  us  soon  being 
drenched  to  the  skin.  At  half  past  three  we  reach  a  high 
nine -story  pagoda,  and  a  little  farther  on  the  road  runs  by 
several  large  monuments  standing  in  a  grove  of  tall  trees. 
The  houses  increase  in  number  as  we  advance ;  many  of  them 
are  far  more  solidly  built  than  those  in  the  villages  through 
which  we  have  been  passing ;  in  short,  there  is  every  indi- 
cation that  wTe  are  approaching  a  large  city.  We  enter  now 
a  broad  road  lined  with  trees,  thronged  with  multitudes  of 
people  on  horses  or  mules  bound  for  Pekin ;  while  many  carts, 
and  quantities  of  coolies  carrying  burdens  slung  on  poles,  add 
to  the  general  entanglement.  At  four  o'clock  we  see  far  ahead 
of  us,  through  the  rain  and  mist,  a  high  wall  which  looks  like 
some  strong  fortification.  Our  mqfu  pauses  for  a  moment  in 
his  rapid  canter  to  point  before  him  with  his  riding-whip 
and  cry  out,  "  Pa-ching ! "  (as  the  natives  pronounce  it,)  and 
urging  on  our  horses  we  soon  arrive  at  the  great  outer  wall, 
and  at  quarter  to  five  we  pass  through  the  Sha-icho-men,  or 
Sha-who  gate,  and  look  with  curiosity  on  all  around  us.  We 
make  our  way  along  a  broad  street,  once  well  paved  with 
wide  blocks  of  stone,  but  now  full  of  holes  and  ruts.  On 
each  side  of  us  is  terrible  waste,  and  filth  of  every  descrip- 
tion; the  mud  is  a  foot  thick,  the  odors  around  us  are  various 


SHAXGHAI  TO  PEKIN.  1 29 

and  nauseating.  Low  houses  are  built  on  each  side  of  the 
road,  the  doorways  swarming  with  men,  women,  and  children, 
who  peer  wonderingly  at  us  as  we  go  by.  After  riding  for 
another  mile  we  come  to  another  wall,  which  divides  the  outer 
Chinese  city  from  the  Tartar  city,  and,  passing  under  the  Harto 
gate,  we  soon  arrive  at  the  French  Hotel.  "We  find,  however, 
that  the  proprietor  has  recently  died ;  and  as  we  are  deliberat- 
ing what  we  shall  do,  a  gentleman  comes  up  and  introduces 
himself  (an  attache  of  the  German  Legation),  and  kindly  con- 
ducts us  to  the  only  good  hotel  in  the  city,  a  house  kept  by  a 
German,  called  in  Chinese  Poo-Kwo-fan-tia.  Here  we  are 
received ;  but  as  the  gates  of  the  city  are  closed  at  sunset,  our 
■in  a  fit  tells  us  that  our  carts  and  baggage  cannot  enter  till 
morning,  so  we  are  obliged  to  borrow  garments  of  our  land- 
lord. Afterwards  we  sit  down  to  an  excellent  dinner,  and 
converse  with  our  host  in  regard  to  the  probability  of  political 
disturbances  in  the  city.  We  are  somewhat  alarmed  when  he 
informs  us  that  he  has  made  every  preparation  for  a  hasty 
flight.  "The  time  is  up  to-day,"  says  he,  "for  China's  con- 
sideration of  England's  demands;  and  as  Mr.  Wade  will  proba- 
bly be  obliged  to  declare  war,  I  have  ready  Chinese  dresses 
for  my  wife  and  myself,  and  a  ladder  to  scale  yonder  wall  ; 
foi  all  foreigners  will  be  regarded  alike,  and  will  be  shut  into 
the  city  and  killed!"  We  go  to  bed  with  the  high  Tartar 
w;dl  in  sight  from  our  window,  fully  expecting  to  be  murdered 
before  morning  in  a  sudden  milde  of  native  cut-throats. 


130  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

PEKIN   TO   THE   GREAT  WALL. 

Consultations  with  the  Ministers.  —  Starting  for  the  Great  Wall.— 
The  Bell  Temple.  —  Wan-shou-san.  —  The  Ming  Tombs.  —  The  Great 
"Wall. 

September  23.  —  We  are  rejoiced  to  find  ourselves  awake 
and  safe  this  morning,  and  immediately  after  breakfast  we 
decide  to  seek,  by  means  of  our  letters  of  introduction,  some 
definite  information  in  regard  to  the  anticipated  troubles.  In 
order  to  reach  the  fountain-head,  we  wTill  call  first  at  the 
English  Legation.  Passing  through  several  wTide  but  dirty 
streets,  we  arrive  at  the  grounds  of  the  Legation,  wdiich  are 
surrounded  by  a  high  wall.  At  the  entrance-gate  we  are 
met  by  two  native  servants,  dressed  in  the  usual  official 
livery  (black  cloaks  and  scarlet  hats),  wTho,  taking  our  cards 
and  the  letter  of  introduction,  request  us  to  be  seated  till 
our  names  have  been  submitted  to  the  minister.  In  a  short 
time  they  return,  and,  bowing  politely,  invite  us  to  enter. 
We  follow  them  across  a  large,  well-kept  quadrangle,  sur- 
rounded with  neat-looking  buildings,  which  vary  in  size  and 
ornamentation.  Approaching  the  largest  and  handsomest,  we 
ascend  a  short  flight  of  stone  steps,  and  crossing  a  hall,  enter 


PEKIN  TO   THE   GREAT   WALL.  131 

a  very  wide,  lofty  apartment,  richly  furnished  and  adorned 
-with  various  works  of  art.  The  servants  motion  us  to  be 
seated,  make  low  bows,  and  retire.  In  a  moment  there  en- 
ters an  elderly  man,  rather  below  the  middle  height,  with  an 
intellectual  and  careworn  face,  and  restless,  piercing  eyes. 
This  is  His  Excellency  T.  F.  Wade,  C.  B.*  He  greets  us 
pleasantly,  and  after  the  usual  commonplaces,  we  inquire  if 
he  thinks  there  will  be  any  danger  in  a  stay  in  Pekin,  or, 
furthermore,  in  a  journey  inland  to  the  Great  Wall.  "Al- 
though I  cannot  be  interviewed  on  political  matters  at  this 
time,"  replies  Mr.  Wade,  laughingly,  "  I  will  say  that  you  may 
anticipate  no  immediate  danger;  for,  even  if  war  is  declared, 
several  months  will  be  required  to  put  troops  in  the  field, 
and  long  before  serious  hostilities  have  begun  you  will  be 
out  of  the  way."  This  diplomatic  response,  like  a  Greek 
oracle  of  old,  while  relieving  our  minds  of  much  apprehension, 
does  not  entirely  remove  our  uncertainty;  but,  after  further 
conversation,  we  agree  that  it  will  be  wisest  to  start  for  the 
Great  Wall  at  once,  and  explore  Pekin  on  our  return.  At 
this  point  Mr.  Wade  kindly  offers  to  introduce  us  to  a  young 
member  of  his  Legation,  who  is  thoroughly  posted  in  regard 
to  the  journey  to  the  Great  Wall;  and  we  accompany  the 
minister  across  the  grounds  to  a  neighboring  building,  where 
we  are  presented  to  Mr.  Hillyar,  who  gives  us  full  informa- 
tion  in    regard    to    the    trip   to  the  Wall,   and   advises   us    to 

*   Now  Sir  Thomas  Wade. 


132  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

start  immediately.  Before  taking  our  leave,  we  are  also  in- 
troduced to  Honorable  Mr.  Grosvenor.  As  the  day  is  advan- 
cing, and  we  have  other  visits  to  make,  we  say  farewell, 
promising  to  call  on  our  return  from  the  Great  Wall. 

We  now  make  our  way  to  the  German  Legation,  situated 
near  by.  Again  we  are  received  by  neatly  dressed  servants, 
who  conduct  us  through  ample  grounds  to  a  well-furnished 
apartment.  Minister  Von  Brandt  puts  us  at  once  at  our  ease, 
produces  some  Havana  cigars  (a  great  rarity  in  China),  and 
advises  us  to  set  out  promptly  for  the  interior,  and  visit  the 
points  of  interest  in  the  city  on  our  return.  He  lends  us  a 
book  of  very  useful  maps,  and  assures  us  that  we  are  about 
to  start  on  a  trip  of  unusual  interest ;  he  says,  furthermore, 
that  we  need  apprehend  no  immediate  hostilities.  We  now 
take  our  leave,  having  accepted  his  kind  invitation  to  dine 
with  him  at  the  Legation  on  our  return. 

Passing  now  up  the  street  and  turniug  to  the  right,  we 
arrive  at  the  grounds  of  the  American  Legation,  and  halt,  as 
before,  at  an  outer  gate.  Instead  of  the  well-dressed  servants 
who  met  us  at  the  other  legations,  we  find,  after  some 
searching,  two  common  coolies,  in  the  usual  unbecoming  blue 
garments  of  their  class.  One  of  them  receives  our  cards,  and 
requests  us  to  wait  till  he  has  presented  them  to  Mr.  Avery. 
We  look  about  us.  What  a  contrast  to  the  embassies  we 
have  just  quitted  !  'Die  buildings  are  low,  poorly  built,  and, 
apparently  uncomfortable.      Absolute  meagreness  is  called  re- 


PEKIN   TO   THE   GREAT   WALL.  1 33 

publican  simplicity  !  "  Is  it  possible,"  says  our  English  fellow- 
traveller,  "  that  this  is  all  your  government  can  furnish  to  its 
representative  in  this  great  Empire  ? "  What  can  we  reply  ? 
We  are  sure  the  United  States  can  take  better  care  of  its 
representative,  but  why  it  does  not  can  only  be  answered  by 
the  politicians  at  Washington. 

The  servant  returns  and  asks  us  to  follow  him.  Crossing 
the  yard,  we  see  Mr.  Avery  walking  up  and  down  in  the 
sunshine.  He  advances,  greets  us  politely,  and  invites  us 
into  his  house.  The  room  is  small  and  scantily  furnished. 
"We  consult  him  in  regard  to  our  proposed  inland  trip.  He 
says  we  need  anticipate  no  serious  trouble,  but  advises  us  to 
avoid  all  roving  bands  of  native  soldiers,  who  care  nothing 
for  the  laws  of  the  country.  Soon  after,  we  rise  to  take  our 
leave.  "  Gentlemen,"  says  Mr.  Avery,  "  I  should  like  to  ask 
you  to  dine  with  me,  but  I  gave  up  entertaining  some  time 
ago.  My  salary,  little  enough  before,  as  my  surroundings  indi- 
cate, is,  I  hear,  to  be  still  further  diminished  If  the  sensible 
ones  at  Washington  could  look  upon  these  places  with  their 
own  eyes,  I  feel  sure  that  the  country  would  not  allow  us  to 
be  subjected  to  continual  mortification."  * 

Having  returned  to  the  hotel  and  deliberated,  we  decide  to 
start  fur  the  Great  Wall  on  the  morrow,  and  explore  Pekin 
on  our  return. 

*  Mr.  Avery  died  soon  after.  He  is  succeeded  by  Mr.  Seward,  lato  Consul- 
Qenera]  at  Shanghai. 


134  DOTTIXGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

September  &£ — We  make  an  early  start,  having  sent  on 
our  carts  in  advance.  As  we  pass  through  the  city,  we  meet, 
near  the  Imperial  grounds,  a  mandarin  riding  along  in  his 
chair  of  state.  Two  horsemen,  with  great  red  plumes  in 
their  hats,  lead  the  procession,  and  shout  at  the  crowd  to 
make  way  for  their  master.  Then  come  six  well-dressed 
servants  hearing  the  old  fellow's  sedan-chair,  in  which  we  can 
see  the  official  sitting  at  his  ease,  while  two  horsemen,  dressed 
like  the  ones  in  advance,  bring  up  the  rear.  On  a  cushion 
in  front  of  the  mandarin  is  his  full-dress  hat,  with  a  red 
button  on  the  top,  indicating  that  he  is  of  high  rank,  —  for 
buttons  of  different  colors  belong  to  the  various  grades.  "When 
we  are  about  three  miles  from  Pekin,  the  horse  of  one  of  our 
party  gives  a  sudden  start  and  tosses  his  rider  off  his  back. 
Away  dashes  the  pony,  and  three  of  us  after  him,  through 
gardens  and  fields,  past  houses,  and  across  roads,  our  horses 
in  pursuit  seeming  as  eager  to  capture  the  runaway  as  we 
are  ourselves.  After  a  brisk  half-hour's  chase  we  succeed  in 
grasping  his  bridle,  and  have  hardly  started  again,  when  the 
pony  which  our  servant  is  riding  shakes  him  off,  and  we 
have  another  gallop  longer  than  the  first ;  at  the  conclusion 
of  which  we  push  on  as  rapidly  as  possible  towards  the  Bell 
Temple.  A  priest  meets  us  at  the  gate,  and  crossing  a  court- 
yard, we  enter  the  temple,  where  hangs  the  Great  Bell,  second 
largest  in  the  world,  —  that  at  Moscow  being  its  only  supe- 
rior.     This  immense  bell  is  eighteen  feet  high  and  thirty-six 


PEKIX   TO   THE   GREAT   WALL.  1 35 

feet  in  circumference,  and  was  cast  A.  D.  1400.  It  is  covered 
all  over  with  Chinese  inscriptions  referring  to  the  circum- 
stances which  caused  its  production,  besides  various  sentences 
in  praise  of  its  guardian  deity. 

From  the  Bell  Temple  we  continue  our  way  towards  the 
ruins  of  the  Summer  Palace  of  the  Emperors,  called  in  Chinese 
Wan-shou-san.*  This  magnificent  residence  was  destroyed  by 
the  Allies  in  1860,  in  return  for  indignities  offered  by  the  Chi- 
nese to  the  English  Minister,  Sir  Harry  Parkes.f  As  we  are 
crossing  a  little  stream,  not  far  from  the  ruins,  the  horse  of 
the  "unlucky  one"  of  our  party  suddenly  lowers  his  head  to 
drink,  —  which  causes  his  rider  to  slide  gracefully  to  the 
ground.  Off  goes  the  pony,  this  time  straight  through  a  po- 
tato-field, two  of  us  following  at  full  gallop.  The  owner  of 
the  field  —  a  tall  Chinaman  of  forbidding  aspect  —  rushes  at 
11s  with  uplifted  hoe,  motioning  to  us  to  go  back.  "We  gestic- 
ulate  frantically   towards    our   pony,   now   far   ahead,   quietly 


*  I.  e.  Sans  Soucis. 

+  "The  rooms  were  completely  filled  with  gold,  silver,  and  bronze  gods  of 
gigantic  dimensions  (one  of  which,  a  Buddha,  was  seventy  feet  high)  ;  some 
were  stored  with  bales  of  the  finest  silk  fabrics.  A  sum  of  £32,000  was 
found  in  solid  ingots  of  gold  and  diver,  which  gave  each  private  in  the  Allied 
forces  prize  money  to  the  amount  of  about  £3  5  s.  The  French  officers  pre- 
Bented  to  the  Emperor,  Empress,  and  Prince  Imperial  of  France  the  whole 
of  the  most  valuable  articles  which  they  carried  off  from  the  palace.  A  su- 
perb green  jade  baton,  of  great  value,  mounted  with  gold,  was  selected  by 
Lord  Elgin  as  a  present  to  Queen  Victoria ;  and  a  similar  one  was  likewise 
sent  to  the  Emperor  Napoleon." 


136  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

grazing  on  potato-heads,  and,  in  spite  of  the  native's  threat- 
ening movements,  do  not  pause  till  we  hold  the  runaway 
securely  by  the  rein.  We  now  proceed  without  interruption 
to  the  ruins  of  the  Summer  Palace,  and  dismounting  in  the 
outer  court-yard,  now  full  of  weeds  and  decay,  we  lunch 
near  a  marble  gateway,  in  the  midst  of  a  half-circle  of  gaping 
Chinese,  who  watch  our  every  motion  with  evident  surprise 
and  amusement.  "While  sitting  here  we  see  a  party  of  for- 
eigners galloping   rapidly  towards  us.     When   they  draw  near 

and  dismount,  F and  I  are  delighted  to  find  that  one  of 

the  number  is  a  friend  and  fellow-citizen,  —  Mr.  E.  S.  Eussell 
of  Boston.  Strange  and  enjoyable  fortune,  to  meet  a  Bos- 
tonian  in  the  interior  of  China ! 

Lunch  over,  we  set  out  to  explore  the  ruins,  and  pass  first 
through  a  succession  of  gates,  each  shutting  in  what  must  for- 
merly have  been  beautiful  pleasure-parks.  Beyond  these,  we 
emerge  on  to  a  broad  stone  walk  shaded  by  grand  old  trees, 
with  a  large  pond  on  the  left,  full  of  lotos-flowers,  over  which 
is  built  a  beautiful  marble  bridge.  On  our  right  hand  are 
the  ruins,  extending  to  the  top  of  a  high  hill,  on  the  summit 
of  which  —  its  Imperial  yellow  roof  and  tiles  glistening  in 
the  sun  like  gold  —  stands  the  only  once-inhabited  building 
that  remains  from  the  terrible  desolation  that  was  spread  over 
the  whole. 

The  front  of  this  structure  contains  innumerable  little 
Buddhas,   standing   in   niches  very  near  together.      The  view 


PEKIX   TO    THE   GREAT   WALL.  1 37 

from  the  top  of  the  hill,  where  the  building  stands,  is  one  of 
the  finest  in  the  vicinity  of  Pekin,  and  the  varied  prospect 
of  lake,  valley,  and  mountains  must  have  pleased  even  an 
Emperor.  Half-way  down  the  hill,  on  the  right-hand  side, 
stands  a  beautiful  bronze  pagoda,  which  was  untouched  in 
the  bombardment.  It  is  at  the  base  of  the  hill,  between  it 
and  the  lake,  that  the  most  evident  traces  of  the  destruction 
are  to  be  seen.  Here  palace  walls  are  crumbling  to  pieces, 
stone  lions,  bronze  gods,  and  marble  pagodas  lie  heaped  in  an 
indiscriminate  mass,  covered  all  over  with  fragments  of  the 
blue,  yellow,  and  green  bricks  of  which  the  royal  buildings 
were  mainly  constructed. 

Leaving  Wan-shou-san,  we  make  our  way  slowly  towards 
Hai-lung-tan,  a  town  where  we  are  to  pass  the  night.  At 
six  o'clock  we  come  in  sight  of  a  village  built  at  the  foot  of 
a  hill,  on  the  summit  of  which  is  a  picturesque  temple  with 
a  yellow  roof,  —  which  indicates  that  the  Emperors  worship 
therein  at  certain  seasons.  We  are  informed  that  the  joss- 
man  of  the  temple  has  kindly  offered  us  accommodations  in 
the  sacred  precincts,  and,  having  dismounted  and  "  chin- 
chined"  our  host,  we  are  shown  to  very  comfortable  quar- 
ters,—  being  the  very  room  occupied  by  some  of  the  official 
staff  of  the  last  Emperor  during  the  royal  visit.  In  company 
with  the  priest  we  visit  the  temple.  Among  the  various  ugly 
divinities  enthroned  herein  is  one  —  the  god  of  war — of  un- 
common hideousness.      He  holds  a  thick,  knotted  club  in  his 


138  DOTTING S  ROUND  THE   CIRCLE. 

hand,  which  we  temporarily  deprive  him  of  and  examine  at 
our  leisure.  Leaving  the  temple,  and  retracing  our  steps 
through  the  grounds,  we  suddenly  find  ourselves  on  the  bank 
of  a  clear,  deep  pond,  and,  having  received  permission  from 
the  joss-man,  we  enjoy  a  refreshing  swim,  to  the  great  aston- 
ishment of  a  crowd  of  Chinese,  who,  apparently,  feel  sure 
that  we  are  possessed  of  a  devil. 

After  supper,  about  ten  o'clock,  F ■  and  the  New-Yorker 

being  asleep  on  their  congs,  I  am  sitting  with  my  other  com- 
panion, when  our  servant  enters  and  informs  us  that  the  joss- 
man  has  received  intelligence  that  a  band  of  thieves  from  the 
village  below  are  planning  to  fall  upon  us  during  the  night, 
and  the  priest  warns  us  to  make  preparations  to  defend  our- 
selves. Our  servant  finishes  the  message  with  a  word  of  ad- 
vice from  himself,  that  we  "better  makee  pistol  all  proper." 
Going  into  the  next  room,  where  our  attendant  sleeps,  we  find 
that  he  has  determined  not  to  be  taken  by  surprise.  He  has 
erected  a  high  barricade  against  the  only  door,  formed  of  the 
various  furniture  of  the  apartment,  and  has  placed  his  mat- 
tress near  by,  so  that  he  may  surely  be  aroused  if  the  door 
is  pushed  open  from  without.  Indeed,  if  the  barricade  is  dis- 
turbed, it  is  highly  probable  that  our  faithful  ally  will  be 
crushed  to  death.  By  his  bed  also  are  matches  and  a  candle. 
Our  door  has  no  lock,  and  the  windows  are  simple  sheets  of 
oiled  paper. 

I  approach  the  New- Yorker  and  inform  him  of  our  threat- 


PEKIX  TO   THE   GEE  AT   WALL.  1 39 

ened  danger.  He  mutters  something  very  uncomplimentary 
to  the  robbers,  hands  me  his  revolver,  and  turns  over  to  con- 
tinue his  nap.     F ■  makes  no  sound. 

Ever  since  our  departure  from  Tien-tsin,  our  English  fellow- 
traveller  has  repeatedly  informed  us  of  a  remarkable  pistol 
which  he  is  carrying.  I  now  congratulate  him  on  the  oppor- 
tunity for  employing  it  which  has  arrived.  He  removes  it 
from  its  case,  looks  at  it  tenderly,  and  loads  it.  An  expres- 
sion of  admiration  escapes  our  servant,  who  is  looking  on,  and 
I  almost  fear  that  the  tempting  sight  may  cause  him  to  join 
our  expected  foes.  We  have  now  made  ample  preparations, 
and  are  about  to  extinguish  the  lights,  and  follow  the  example 
of  our  other  companions  who  are  sleeping  quietly,  when  we 
decide  to  question  the  servant  a  little  more  particularly.  We 
summon  him  and  submit  him  to  a  cross-examination.  His 
answers,  expressed  in  "pigeon-English,"  require  some  consid- 
eration, but  his  ideas  are  eventually  conveyed  to  us.  The 
message  of  the  priest  becomes  now  of  a  different  import.  He 
wished  us  to  be  informed  that  "a  party  of  foreigners  who 
lodged  in  our  rooms  two  months  ago  were  robbed  by  vil- 
lagers during  the  night."  This  intelligence  modifies  matters, 
and,  having  stretched  ourselves  on  our  conr/s,  we  are  soon 
asleep.  Quiet  reigns  throughout  the  premises,  and  we  are 
undisturbed  till  morning. 

September  25.  —  The  various  temples  or  joss-houses  in  China 
belong,  for  the  must  part,  to  the  Emperor.     The  joss-men  are 


140  DOTTJXGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

supported  either  by  a  direct  salary  from  the  government,  or, 
as  in  the  case  of  our  host,  by  voluntary  contributions  from 
the  people  of  the  neighborhood.  These  joss-men  are  not  al- 
lowed to  marry,  and  are  forbidden  to  eat  certain  articles  of 
food ;  but  the  joss-man  of  Hai-lung-tan  was  certainly  not  scru- 
pulous in  regard  to  the  strict  performance  of  his  vows.  Not 
only  did  he  make  a  hearty  meal  from  the  remnants  of  our 
supper  and  breakfast  (smoking  some  of  our  cigars  afterwards), 
but  he  even  had  the  audacity  to  charge  us  a  large  price  for 
our  accommodations,  —  a  "  squeeze  "  which  even  our  Chinese 
servant  assured  us  was  atrocious;  for  the  buildings  did  not 
belong  to  him,  and  we  brought  along  our  own  food.  Having, 
therefore,  paid  him  two  thirds  of  his  demand  (presented  with 
some  unadulterated  Americanisms),  we  continue  our  way. 

Our  road  lies  over  a  flat,  poorly  cultivated  country,  with  the 
usual  mud-towns  placed  at  certain  intervals  apart.  We  meet 
constantly  small  bands  of  common  soldiers  going  towards  Pekin, 
armed  with  long  guns  of  very  inferior  construction.  They  stare 
at  us  insolently,  but,  remembering  Mr.  Avery's  advice,  we  pay 
no  attention  to  them.  About  noon  we  approach  a  village,  built 
on  the  top  of  a  hill,  and  drawing  near  (for  our  path  runs 
through  it),  we  see  that  the  inhabitants  are  making  great  prep- 
arations to  receive  us.  As  we  pass  through  the  town  in 
single  file,  the  men  cease  their  work,  range  themselves  on  each 
side  of  the  street,  and,  snatching  up  gongs,  drums,  and  cym- 
bals,  beat   them   furiously ;    the   little   boys   explode    cannon- 


PEKIX  TO   THE   GREAT   WALL.  141 

crackers  ;  and  the  women,  hurrying  to  their  doors  with  their 
children  in  their  arms,  burst  into  shrill  peals  of  laughter  at 
sight  of  the  strangely  dressed  objects  who  are  moving  slowly 

by. 

We  lunch  at  Cham-ping-chow,*  one  of  the  dirtiest  and  most 
squalid  "  cities "  we  have  yet  seen.  A  company  of  native 
cavalry  are  occupying  the  best  inn,  and  we  are  obliged  to  dis- 
mount at  an  inferior  one.  We  hurry  off  as  soon  as  possible, 
and  passing  out  of  the  city,  make  our  way  round  a  range  of 
low  hills,  into  a  vast  valley  beyond.  We  see  ahead  of  us  sev- 
eral lofty  buildings,  standing,  for  the  most  part,  at  the  base  of 
the  distant  mountains,  which  enclose  the  other  side  of  the 
plain.  Proceeding  across  the  plain,  we  come  first  to  a  marble 
gateway,  ninety  feet  wide  and  fifty  high,  containing  some  fine 
bas-reliefs.  Passing  through  this,  we  next  reach  a  lofty  brick 
arch  with  the  Imperial  yellow  roof,  and  a  little  farther  on, 
after  crossing  several  marble  bridges,  now  rapidly  falling  into 
decay,  we  emerge  on  to  a  broad  stone  avenue,  on  each  side 
of  which  are  colossal  figures  of  blue  marble.  Two  pairs  of 
lions,  unicorns,  camels,  horses,  and  elephants  compose  the 
group,  all  most  finely  carved,  and  next  to  these  are  ranged 
colossal  priests,  and  warriors,  some  with  huge  swords,  who 
seem  to  be  guarding  these  precincts  of  the  dead.  The  ele- 
phants are  thirteen  feel  high  and  seven  long;  and  our  horses, 
in   turn,  shy   violently   at    sight  of  them.      After   passing  over 

*   Called  by  foreigners  "Jumping  .Jou." 


142  DOTTING S  BOUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

the  long  stone  avenue,  —  which  once  must  have  been  a  grand 
approach,  —  we  come  to  the  tomb  of  Yung  Lo,  the  founder  of 
the  Ming  dynast)',*  which  stands  in  the  centre,  while  the 
others  stretch  along  the  base  of  the  mountain,  on  each  side. 

The  site  of  these  Ming  Tombs  is  exactly  in  accordance  with 
the  most  approved  principles  of  Fcng-shui.  To  explain  this, 
I  will  quote  from  a  very  interesting  pamphlet  which  appeared 
recently  in  Hong  Kong :  -f"  "  The  common  people  have  the 
notion  ....  that  the  souls  of  their  ancestors  are  by  their 
animal  nature  chained,  as  it  were,  for  some  time  to  the  tomb 
in  which  their  bodies  are  interred,  whilst  by  their  spiritual 
nature  they  feel  impelled  to  hover  near  the  dwellings  of  their 
descendants;  whence  it  is  but  a  natural  and  logical  inference 
to  suppose  that  the  fortunes  of  the  living  depend  in  some 
measure  upon  the  favorable  situation  of  the  tombs  of  their 
ancestors.  If  a  tomb  is  so  placed  that  the  animal  spirit  of 
the  deceased  supposed  to  dwell  there  is  comfortable  and  free 
of  disturbing  elements,  so  that  the  soul  has  unrestricted  egress 
and  ingress,  the  ancestors'  spirits  will  feel  well  disposed  to- 
wards their  descendants,  will  be  enabled  to  constantly  surround 
them,  and  willing  to  shower  upon  them  all  the  blessings  within 
reach  of  the  spirit  world.  |  .  .  .  .  Naturally,  therefore,  every 

*   1368-1628. 

t   Feng-shui  ;   or,  The  Rudiments  of  Natural  Science  in  China.     By  Ernest 
J.  Eitel,  M.  A.,  Ph.  D.,  of  the  London  Missionary  Society. 

J    "So  deeply  ingrafted  is  this  idea  of  t lie  influence  of  the  dead  upon  the 


PEKIX  TO   THE   GREAT   WALL.  1 43 

Chinaman  takes  the  greatest  pains  to  place  the  tombs  of  his 
relatives  in  such  a  situation,  that  no  star  or  planet  above,  nor 
any  terrestrial  element  below,  no  breath  or  subtle  influence 
of  nature,  no  ill-portending  configuration  of  hills  and  dales, 
should  disturb  the  quiet  repose  of  the  dead,  for  upon  this  de- 
pend the  fortunes  and  misfortunes  of  the  living.  It  is  con- 
sequently important  to  know  the  rules  by  which  the  luckiest 

spot  for  a  grave  can  be  found There  are  in  the  earth's 

crust  two  different,  shall  I  say  magnetic  currents,  the  one 
male,  the  other  female ;  the  one  positive,  the  other  negative ; 
the  one  favorable,  the  other  unfavorable.  The  one  is  allegori- 
cally  called  the  azure  dragon,  the  other  the  white  tiger.  The 
azure  dragon  must  always  be  to  the  left,  the  white  tiger  to 
the  right  of  any  place  supposed  to  contain  a  luck-bringing  site. 
This  therefore  is  the  first  business  of  the  geomancer  on  looking 
out  for  a  propitious  site,  to  find  a  true  dragon,  and  its  com- 
plement the  white  tiger,  both  being  discernible  by  certain 
elevations  of  the  ground.  Dragon  and  tiger  are  constantly 
compared  with  the  lower  and  upper  portion  of  a  man's  arm; 
in  the  bend  of  the  arm  the  favorable  site  must  be  looked  for. 
In  other  words,  in  the  angle  formed  by  dragon  and  tiger,  in 

living,  thai  Chinese  wishing  to  get  into  the  good  graces  of  foreigners  will 
Actually  go  out  to  the  I  long  Kong  cemeteries  in  the  Happy  Valley,  and  wor- 
ship there  a1  the  tombs  of  foreigners,  supposing  that  the  spirits  of  the  dead 
there,  pleased  with  their  offerings  and  worship,  would  influence  the  spirits  of 
the  living,  and  thus  produce  a  mutual  good  understanding  between  all  tho 
parties  concerned." 


144  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

the  very  point  where  the  two  (magnetic)  currents  which  they 
individually  represent  cross  each  other,  there  may  the  luck- 
bringing  site  ....  be  found.  I  say  it  may  be  found  there, 
because,  besides  the  conjunction  of  dragon  and  tiger,  there 
must  be  there  also  a  tranquil  harmony  of  all  the  heavenly 
and  terrestrial  elements  which  influence  that  particular  spot, 
and  which  is  to  be  determined  by  observing  the  compass  and 
its  indication  of  the  numerical  proportions,  and  by  examin- 
ing the  direction  of  the  watercourses." 

The  site  of  the  Ming  Tombs  possesses  the  exact  requisites 
declared  above.  The  two  chains  of  hills  enclosing  the  valley 
form,  by  their  junction,  a  complete  horseshoe;  and  this  spot, 
crossed  by  the  two  necessary  magnetic  currents  representing 
the  dragon  and  the  tiger,  was  selected  as  thoroughly  propitious 
for  the  interment  of  Imperial  remains. 

Crossing  now  a  court-yard,  we  enter  a  large  chamber  con- 
taining many  pillars  of  teak-wood,  each  twelve  feet  in  cir- 
cumference and  thirty-two  feet  high.  This  room  is  two  hun- 
dred and  ten  feet  long  and  thirty  wide.  Passing  through 
tin's,  we  cross  another  court-yard  and  enter  the  building  which 
contains  the  bone  of  the  illustrious  Yung  Lo.  A  colossal  tor- 
toise, bearing  on  its  back  a  tablet  with  inscriptions  referring 
to  the  Ming  dynasty  and  its  founder,  marks  the  spot  where 
the  remains  are  deposited.  The  whole  place  is  neglected.  A 
very  garden  is  sprouting  from  the  roof,  the  court -yard  is  full 
of  coarse  weeds,  and  only  a  few  beggars,  or  a  solitary  mer- 


PEKIN  TO   THE   GREAT   WALL.  1 45 

chant  bound  to  Pekin,  are  to  be  seen  in  the  vicinity.  A  more 
beautiful  spot  for  an  Emperor's  cemetery  could  hardly  be  ob- 
tained. The  wide  valley,  enclosed  by  high  mountains,  looks 
secluded  and  peaceful,  and  an  air  of  rest  and  quiet  seems  to 
pervade  the  whole  place.  These  Ming  Tombs  testify  very  un- 
favorably against  the  Chinese.  The  nation  does  not  even 
preserve  the  grand  works  bequeathed  to  them  by  their  ances- 
tors, but  their  fine  roads  and  lofty  buildings  are  suffered  to 
fall  into  ruin  and  decay.  They  declare,  however,  that  they 
are  the  only  truly  civilized  race  on  the  globe,  and  regard  all 
others  as  "  barbarians." 

As  the  tomb  of  Yung  Lo  is  a  type  of  the  others,  we  strike 
across  the  plain  towards  Nan-kow,  which  we  reach  at  sunset. 
Here  we  find  the  best  inn  we  have  thus  far  seen.  The  "  for- 
eigner's room  "  is  clean,  and  the  walls  are  hung  with  pictures 
of  Chinese  life  and  moral  maxims  of  Confucius.  It  is  true 
that  a  drove  of  sheep  are  quartered  in  the  very  next  partition 
of  the  building,  but  to  this  we  are  accustomed.  Our  landlord, 
a  fat,  jolly-looking  Chinaman,  meets  us  on  our  arrival,  offers 
us  his  snuff-box,  and  "chin-chins"  us  till  he  grows  weary. 
As  he  understands  no  English,  we  address  him  as  "  Kofooz- 
leum,"  —  which  seems  to  please  him  greatly. 

September  20. —  The  Great  Wall  is  met  at  a  distance  of 
fifteen  miles  from  Nan-kow,  at  the  end  of  a  pass  of  the  same 
name.  The  pass  is  so  rocky  that  the  distance  must  be  accom- 
plished  on   donkeys.      -Soon   after  breakfast  we    mount   these 


146  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

patient  animals,  and  start  on  our  way,  intending  to  return  to 
Nan-kow  for  the  night.  Passing  through  the  town  we  ride 
under  the  great  gate  which  marks  the  opening  of  Nan-kow 
Pass.  The  structure  contains,  on  each  post,  some  fine  carving. 
From  here  our  path  lies  over  stones  and  rocks  and  across 
streams  ;*  here,  too,  we  meet  frequently  long  lines  of  ladened 
camels,  coming  from  Mongolia  or  going  thither,  with  an  armed 
man  in  front  and  in  the  rear.  Large  flocks  of  black-headed 
sheep  pour  over  the  road,  plunging  through  rivulets  and  across 
stones,  and  creating  great  confusion.  Several  mule-litters  —  a 
sedan-chair  carried  by  mules  —  go  by,  bound  for  Pekin,  with 
indolent-looking  Chinamen  stretched  at  their  ease  within, 
while  innumerable  donkeys  and  mules  and  vast  droves  of 
horses  increase  the  general  disorder.  At  the  foot  of  a  precip- 
itous spur  of  the  mountain  we  see  a  woman  kneeling  on  the 
ground,  bending  herself  to  and  fro,  sobbing,  and  wringing  her 
hands,  and  pouring  out  a  wild  lament  in  a  piteous  voice, 
which  echoes  from  hill  to  hill.  On  inquiry,  we  are  told  that 
she  has  recently  become  a  widow,  and  is  mourning  at  her  hus- 
band's grave,  according  to  the  custom  of  her  country.  Along 
the  pass  are  built  little  joss-houses,  before  which  are  hung 
gongs  which  the  priests  strike  on  the  approach  of  a  traveller, 
who  is  expected  to  contribute  a  few  "cash,"  in  return  for  a 
prayer  offered  for  his  safety. 


*  "Genghis  Khan  followed  it  when  he  invaded  China."  — Baron  Hubner. 


PEKIX  TO   THE  GREAT   WALL.  1 47 

After  riding  about  four  hours,  we  emerge  from  the  pass, 
and  soon  arrive  at  the  Great  Wall,  which  stretches  over  the 
hills  far  off  into  the  distance.  At  certain  intervals  steps  lead 
up  to  the  top.  The  wall  is  about  forty  feet  high  and  twelve 
feet  wide.  It  is  built  of  a  hard  gray  stone.  Against  modern 
artillery  it  would  be  of  little  avail,  but  at  the  time  of  its  con- 
struction it  must  have  been,  if  well  defended,  a  serious  obstacle 
to  an  opposing  band.  The  wall  was  begun  b.  c.  200.  It  is 
about  twelve  hundred  miles  long,  and  surmounts  the  highest 
and  most  inaccessible  peaks  in  the  vicinity. 

We  lunch,  sitting  on  the  summit;  the  view  on  all  sides  is 
superb.  Along  the  high  mountains,  stretching  away  into  the 
distance,  can  be  distinguished  the  thin  gray  line  of  the  wall. 
On  the  plain  below,  a  long  procession  of  heavily  loaded  cam- 
els is  winding  slowly  on,  the  shouts  of  the  drivers  echoing 
through  the  lulls.  Except  this,  all  is  quiet  and  still.  Before 
us  is  an  Asiatic  picture  which  will  never  be  effaced  from  our 
minds. 

We  retrace  our  steps  through  the  pass  and  arrive  back  at 
Nan-kow  at  G  p.  M. 

September  27. — We  return  to  Pekin,  stopping,  on  our  way, 
to  see  the  Llama  pagoda,  situated  about  two  miles  from  the 
Chaen-men  gate,  which  is  the  finest  piece  of  sculpture  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  city. 


148  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


CHAPTER    X. 

PEKIN. 

The  City.  —  The  Llama  Temples.  —  The  Temple  of  Heaven.  —  Curio 
Street.  —  The  Imperial  College  and  Observatory.  —  The  Marble 
Bridge.  —  The  Roman  Catholic  Cathedrals. 

September  28.  —  The  city  of  Pekin*  possesses  three  walls. 
The  outer  wall  encloses  the  Chinese  city;  the  second  divides 
off  the  Tartar  city ;  and  lastly,  there  is  the  Imperial  wall, 
which  shuts  in  the  Yellow  City,  —  the  residence  of  the  Em- 
peror, the  Son  of  Heaven.  Foreigners  are  allowed  to  visit 
certain  parts  of  the  Yellow  City,  but  only  the  highest  ambas- 
sadors are  suffered,  at  stated  times,  to  pass  through  the  royal 
gateway  and  cross  the  long  avenue  which  leads  to  the  Hall 
of  Audience.  The  streets  of  Pekin  are  unusually  wide  for  a 
Chinese  city ;  and  if  it  were  not  for  the  total  absence  of 
sewers,  and  the  abominable  habits  of  the  people,  who  have 
no  idea  of  decency  or  cleanliness,  the  pure  air  from  the 
neighboring  hills  would  render  it  quite  a  desirable  residence. 
As    it   is,  every    street    is    full  of  mud    and    shocking  waste; 

*  It  is  impossible  to  state  the  population  of  this  city.  Of  one  fact  I  am 
sure;  the  "3,000,000"  of  the  geographies  is  an  absurdity.  It  is  doubtful  if 
the  number  reaches  1,200,000. 


PEKIX.  149 

deep  nits,  which  grow  worse  daily,  nearly  swallow  up  all 
carts  that  jolt  over  them ;  and  in  spite  of  fresh  breezes,  the 
odors  from  all  points  are  sickening  and  almost  unendurable. 

We  start  this  morning  to  visit  the  great  Llama  temples, 
where  Buddha  is  worshipped  by  fifteen  hundred  resident 
priests.  The  buildings,  situated  near  the  Custom  House,  are 
fully  two  miles  from  our  hotel,  and,  as  the  day  is  very  warm, 
we  engage  carts,  and  sitting  forward  on  the  shafts  (where  the 
least  jolting  is  felt),  we  are  bumped  along  the  Harto-men  Street, 
through  a  wondering  crowd  who  stare  at  us  as  we  go  by. 
"When  we  have  accomplished  about  a  mile,  we  meet  a  long 
funeral  procession.  The  dead  man  was  a  rich  merchant,  and 
his  wealth  and  importance  are  attested  by  the  vast  number 
that  are  following  his  remains  to  the  grave.  One  hundred 
men,  walking  two  by  two,  lead  the  way,  dressed  in  full 
mourning  garments  of  white,  and  bearing  in  their  hands  tall, 
broad  wands,  painted  red  and  covered  with  inscriptions.  Then 
follow  ten  men  bearing  the  body  on  a  litter,  over  which  is  a 
handsome  canopy.  The  body  itself  is  protected  by  a  richly 
embroidered  cloth,  which  falls  in  graceful  folds  around  it. 
The  procession  is  dosed  by  another  hundred  men  dressed  in 
white,  some  carrying  banners  and  others  gongs,  drums,  and 
cymbals,  with  which  to  mark  time  for  the  whole.  The  Chi- 
nese consider  themselves  polluted  if  they  have  any  contact 
villi  a  corpse,  even  so  much  as  touching  the  litter  on  which 
it  is  lying.      On  this  account,  all  the  dead  are  carried  to  the 


ISO  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

grave  by  men  whose  caste  or  calling  is  not  held  respectable, 
—  the  beggars,  the  barbers,  and  the  offal-carriers.  The  richest 
prince  is  thus  often  borne  to  his  last  resting-place  by 
beggars. 

On  our  arrival  at  the  wall  which  surrounds  the  temple 
grounds  we  pass  through  a  gate,  and  are  met  in  the  court- 
yard by  a  priest  in  long  yellow  garments,  who  is  to  serve  as 
guide.  We  are  very  glad  to  find  that  we  have  arrived  at 
service-time ;  and  on  approaching  one  of  the  buildings,  we 
hear  a  noise  like  the  loud  buzzing  of  countless  swarms  of 
bees,  and  looking  into  the  temple  we  discover  the  cause. 
About  three  hundred  priests,*  with  long  yellow  robes  and 
shaved  heads,  are  seated  on  wooden  benches,  facing  a  large, 
richly  decorated  altar,  before  which  an  elderly  priest  is  stand- 
ing, and  chanting  a  prayer  to  the  accompaniment  of  a  gong; 
the  others  repeating  it  after  him  in  a  loud  chorus,  at  the 
same  time  passing  their  hands  over  strings  of  curiously  carved 
beads,  which  they  wear  round  their  necks.  At  the  conclusion 
of  the  prayer  they  all  rise,  and  putting  on  their  heads  tall 
yellow  hats,  pour  into  another  temple  to  perform  another 
portion  of  their  daily  devotion.  We  find  that  this  temple 
(which  they  have  just  left)  contains  large  collections  of  valu- 
able articles,  —  rich  carpets,  gold,  silver,  and  bronze  vessels, 
fine  carvings,  and  costly  tapestries.  In  a  neighboring  building 
is  a  great  wooden    figure    of  Buddha,  seventy-five   feet   high, 

*  Moguls. 


PEKIN.  151 

and  twenty  feet  across  the  chest.  Near  by,  some  priests  are 
chanting  a  song  to  their  god,  and  one  magnificent  bass  voice 
rings  out  above  all  the  others.*  After  taking  a  cup  of  tea 
with  the  priests,  we  return  to  our  quarters  for  tiffin,  as  we 
plan  to  visit,  or  attempt  to  visit,  the  Temple  of  Heaven  this 
afternoon. 

The  Temple  of  Heaven  (where  the  Emperor  worships  at  a 
certain  time  of  the  year)  is  not  open  to  foreigners,  but  many, 
through  bribery,  corruption,  or  force,  gain  admittance.  With 
our  landlord  (who  speaks  Chinese  fluently),  we  start  soon  after 
lunch,  and  passing  out  of  the  Chaen-men  gate,  and  crossing  the 
"Beggars'  Bridge,"  are  soon  in  sight  of  the  temple  wall.  As 
we  walk  along  I  hear  for  the  first  time  the  epithet  hong  Tmeitzu 
(foreign  devils)  applied  to  us ;  and  from  this  and  other  little 
occurrences,  our  landlord  assures  us  that  the  crowd  know  per- 
fectly where  we  are  going,  and  will  probably  do  all  they  can 
to  hinder  us.  By  this  time  we  are  near  the  temple  gate,  and 
a  multitude  of  men  and  boys  are  following  steadily  behind  us ; 
suddenly  one  starts  ahead,  reaches  the  temple  gate  before  us, 
says  something  rapidly  to  the  gate-keepers,  and  disappears. 
"We  make  a  rush  forward  (for  we  know  he  has  given  warning 
of  our  approach),  but  too  late ;  the  heavy  doors  swing  to- 
gi'thcr,  the  interior  bolts  are  shot  into  their  sockets,  and  our 
further  advance  is  checked.      The   crowd,  which  has    rapidly 

*  We  afterwards  heard  that  this  man's  voice  is  famous  throughout  the 
city. 


152  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

increased,  raise  a  shout  of  derision,  and  evidently  consider  our 
repulse  but  another  evidence  of  the  inferiority  of  the  "barba- 
rians." Our  landlord  cannot  contain  himself.  Pouring  forth 
a  volley  of  abuse  in  Chinese  (which  evidently  surprises  them), 
he  seizes  a  short  stick,  and,  grasping  the  nearest  native  by 
his  cue,  he  thrashes  him  till  he  howls  for  mercy.  Matters 
now  begin  to  look  serious.  The  natives,  incensed  at  the  treat- 
ment of  their  comrade  (for  which  act  our  landlord  could  be 
summoned  before  his  minister),  pick  up  stones*  from  the  street, 
and  mass  themselves  together  more  compactly.  The  New- 
Yorker,  with  complacency,  lays  his  hand  on  a  pocket  in  his 
vest  from  which  a  small  loaded  pistol  protrudes.  Our  land- 
lord is  determined  not  to  be  outdone.  He  hurries  us  rapidly 
along  till  we  arrive  at  a  part  of  the  wall  where  some  bricks 
have  fallen  out,  and  where  it  can  easily  be  scaled.  In  turn 
we  scramble  up,  and  drop  clown  into  the  park  beyond.  Our 
difficulties  are  not  yet  over.  In  the  distance,  across  the  park, 
we  see  another  high  gate  tightly  closed.  Having  arrived  there, 
however,  we  hold  a  long  parley  with  the  keeper,  who  consents 
to  admit  us  for  a  silver  dollar.  The  second  obstacle  is  thus 
surmounted,  but  still  another  rate  remains.     Through  the  crev- 

7  ©  O 

ices  we  can  plainly  see  the  blue  roof  of  the  temple.  A  half- 
dollar,  thrust  under  the  sill,  causes  the  heavy  doors  to  swing 

*  Only  three  weeks  previously,  Dr.  Bushell  and  his  wife,  of  the  English 
Legation,  while  walking  quietly  by  this  very  spot,  were  severely  stoned  by 
the  populace. 


PEKIN.  153 

inwards ;  we  cross  a  grass-plot,  ascend  some  beautiful  marble 
steps,  and  see  the  bidden  building  before  us. 

The  Temple  of  Heaven  is  a  pagoda-like  structure,  covered 
with  blue  tiles.  Three  umbrella-like  roofs  rise,  one  above 
another,  from  the  blue  walls  below.  These  walls  are  elabo- 
rately sculptured  and  enamelled,  and  are  inlaid  with  glass- 
work  Three  white  marble  terraces,  finely  carved,  surround 
it.  Xear  by  are  three  large  bronze  vessels,  in  which  the  papers 
of  criminals  of  high  rank  are  burned.  Behind,  is  the  spot 
where  cattle  are  slaughtered  for  the  yearly  sacrifice,  performed 
by  the  Emperor  after  worshipping  in  the  temple. 

The  door  is  bolted,  but  we  can  easily  look  in  through  the 
windows.  No  idols  of  any  sort  are  to  be  seen.  The  interior 
pillars  and  wood-work  are  solid  but  plain.  Once  a  year  in 
this  place  he  who  calls  himself  Ruler  of  Earth  bows  down 
before  the  Sovereign  of  Heaven. 

"We  leave  the  temple  and  retrace  our  steps,  expecting  to 
find  the  gates  closed  upon  us,  but,  apparently,  our  unceremo- 
nious entrance  has  so  astonished  the  natives,  that  they  are 
"lad  to  tret  rid  of  us.     We  return  to  the  hotel  unmolested. 

Sept ember  29.  —  We  spend  the  morning  in  Curio  Street, 
examining  different  articles  for  which  Pekin  is  noted,  —  fine 
cloiso?in£  work,  and  beautiful  devices  of  jade-stone ;  ivory 
carvings,  bronzes,  and  old  porcelain,  and  great  varieties  of 
fine  furs,  which  arc  brought  principally  from  Siberia.  The 
lacquer-work   does  not  compare  favorably  witli    the   Japanese. 


154  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

The  prices  asked  are  ridiculously  exorbitant,  and  the  purchaser 
must  make  a  reasonable  offer  and  hold  to  it  firmly. 

In  the  afternoon  I  present  a  letter  of  introduction  to  Be  v. 
Henry  Blodget,  D.  D.  a  leading  Protestant  missionary,  who,  with 
his  wife,  has  resided  in  Pekin  for  many  years.  I  pass  a 
pleasant  half-hour,  and  promise  to  lunch  with  them  before 
my  departure. 

September  30.  —  We  go  this  morning  to  pay  another  visit 
to  the  English  Legation.  Mr.  Hillyar  congratulates  us  on 
our  good  fortune  at  the  Temple  of  Heaven,  telling  us  that  a 
friend  of  his,  who  recently  obtained  admittance  to  the  grounds, 
with  his  wife,  was  shut  in,  on  returning,  by  the  keeper  of  the 
outer  gate,  who  stubbornly  refused  to  allow  the  "barbarians" 
to  pass ;  and  it  was  only  when  a  loaded  pistol  was  held  close 
to  his  head,  that  the  native  changed  his  mind. 

In  regard  to  political  matters  the  Chinese  are  again  tem- 
porizing. Prince  Kung  has  agreed  to  furnish  special  and 
extraordinary  passports  to  three  Englishmen  who  will  proceed 
to  Yiin  Nan,  and,  after  investigating  the  entire  circumstances 
of  the  murder,  will  join  with  a  Chinese  commission  in  mak- 
ing a  formal  report  to  both  governments.  The  Honorable  Mr. 
Grosvenor  is  the  chief  of  the  English  commission,  and,  in 
company  with  the  others,  is  to  start  at  once  for  Shanghai. 
All  danger  of  immediate  hostilities  is  therefore  at  an  end. 

In  the  afternoon  we  receive  a  visit  from  Mr.  R  S.  Paissell 
of  Boston,  who  is  about  to  start  for  the  Great  Wall. 


PER  IX.  155 

October  1.  —  "We  visit  this  morning  the  old  Observatory 
and  Imperial  College,  erected  under  the  directions  of  the 
Jesuits  in  a.  d.  1279.  The  Observatory  is  built  on  the  City 
Wall,  and  the  College  near  by  in  the  city  below.  Some  of  the 
bronze  astronomical  instruments  are  of  elaborate  and  exquisite 
construction.     The  entire  premises  have  been  unused  for  years. 

From  here  we  proceed  through  the  city  back  to  the  hotel. 
It  is  nearly  one  o'clock,  and  I  am  due  at  the  Blodgets'.  Ar- 
rived there,  I  am  cordially  welcomed,  and,  after  lunch,  Dr. 
Blodget  conducts  me  to  his  church,  and  relates  many  inter- 
esting anecdotes,  and  gives  me  much  useful  information  in 
regard  to  his  long  labors  among  the  natives.  In  the  church 
(which  is  open  through  the  day)  we  see  a  converted  China- 
man (a  member  of  the  church)  lecturing  to  a  little  knot  of 
his  fellow-countrymen,  who  are  gathered  around  him;  and  I 
cannot  help  noticing  the  expression  of  the  lecturer's  counte- 
nance. Instead  of  the  careless  insolence  which  is  generally 
stamped  on  the  faces  of  the  Chinese,  the  speaker  has  a  look 
of  quiet  manliness  and  serenity  which  is  unusual. 

At  7  P.  m.  (preceded  by  our  servant  with  a  lantern)  we  pick 
our  way  carefully  through  the  horrible  streets  till  we  arrive 
at  the  German  Legation.  We  are  met,  as  usual,  by  a  polite 
servant,  who  receives  our  wraps,  and  announces  us  to  the 
minister.  Dinner  is  served  immediately.  Six  or  seven  gen- 
tlemen of  the  legation  are  at  table.  All  talk  English  fluently, 
and  the  charming  manners  of  our  host  put   us   thoroughly  at 


156  DOTTING S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

ease.  The  lofty  dining-room  itself  in  which  we  are  sitting  is 
not  unworthy  of  its  cultivated  possessor.  A  heavy  carpet  is 
on  the  floor,  the  table  is  adorned  with  costly  silver  and  glass ; 
and  behind  the  minister,  on  the  wall,  a  large  and  valuable 
collection  of  Japanese  and  Chinese  daggers  and  swords  is 
tastefully  arranged.  Noiseless  servants  quickly  remove  the 
courses,  each  of  which  is  a  triumph  of  culinary  art.  In  short, 
we  have  stepped  from  the  discomforts  of  a  people  of  the  past 
into  the  luxuries  of  modern  society.  Beyond  the  threshold 
is  neglect  and  decay;  within,  is  order,  refinement,  and  pro- 
gression. 

After  dinner,  we  adjourn  to  a  large  parlor  adjoining.  From 
all  foreigners  that  I  have  met  in  Pekin  I  hear  one  unvary- 
ing complaint,  "  The  discomforts  of  the  city,"  they  say,  "  we 
can  endure;  but  the  lack  of  polished  society  is  keenly  felt." 
Besides  the  dreadful  uncleanliness,  however,  the  climate,  ex- 
cept during  the  month  of  October,  is  disagreeable  and  an- 
noying. In  November,  December,  January,  and  February  a 
little  snow  falls,  which,  however,  is  quickly  removed  by  a 
cutting  northeast  wind,  which  blows  continually  at  this 
season.  In  the  spring  the  dust  is  overpowering;  and  the 
heat  in  summer  is  only  tempered  by  heavy  rains,  which  form 
long  avenues  of  deep  mud. 

By  the  kindness  of  the  minister,  a  servant  with  a  huge 
paper  lantern  conducts  us  back  to  our  lodgings. 

October  2.  —  We  are  to  devote  this  morning  to  an  inspec- 


PEKIN.  157 

tion  of  the  Emperor's  marble  bridge  and  the  Eoman  Catholic 
cathedrals.  The  marble  bridge  spans  a  wide  stream,  running 
close  to  the  Imperial  buildings,  full  of  lotos-flowers  and  great 
masses  of  decaying  weeds  and  general  rottenness.  With 
proper  care,  this  rivulet  might  be  kept  clear  and  fresh,  and 
such  was  undoubtedly  the  intention  of  the  Emperor,  who 
planned  the  surrounding  pleasure  parks  and  grounds,  but  it 
is  neglected,  along  with  so  much  else  in  China. 

From  here  we  proceed  to  the  new  Eoman  Catholic  Cathe- 
dral. It  is  a  large,  handsome  edifice,  and  testifies  favorably 
to  the  result  of  the  labors  of  the  Catholic  missionaries.  An 
extensive  ornithological  museum  is  attached  to  a  school  for 
natives,  which  is  conducted  by  the  priests.  The  old  church, 
which  we  next  visit,  is  smaller  than  the  new,  but  it  contains 
a  tablet,  erected  on  the  back  of  a  large  stone  tortoise,  on 
which  is  an  inscription  in  Chinese,  placed  there  by  an  old 
Emperor,  which  commands  the  citizens  to  spare  this  building, 
even  if  the  rest  of  the  city  is  destroyed. 

Towards  sunset  we  ascend  to  the  top  of  the  Tartar  Wall 
to  see  the  sun  disappear  behind  the  distant  hills.  At  our 
feet  lies  the  city,  teeming  with  life,  and  the  eye  can  roam 
over  the  multitudes  of  buildings  stretching  far  away  in  every 
direction.  The  beams  of  the  setting  sun  are  shining  full  on 
the  [mperial  palaces,  which,  with  their  yellow  roofs,  glitter 
like  gold  Mocks  of  carrier-pigeons,  with  tinkling  bells  tied 
to  their  wings,  wheel    round   and   round  over  our  heads,  and 


158  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


the  various  sounds  of  the  city  below  come  up  to  us  pleas- 
antly from  afar.  At  last  the  sun  sinks  down  behind  the 
hills,  long  lines  of  men  and  animals  pass  in  through  the 
closing  gates,  arid  taking  a  last  look  around  us,  —  for  we 
have  planned  to  leave  Pekin  on  the  morrow,  —  we  descend 
to  the  street  and  return  to  our  hotel. 


PEKIN  TO  CANTON.  1 59 


CHAPTER    XI. 

PEKIN  TO  CANTON. 

Return  to  Shanghai.  — Amoy.  —  Canton.  — Buddhist  Temples  and  other 
Objects  of  Interest. 

October  3.  —  At  half  past  seven  this  morning,  having  placed 
our  baggage  in  carts  and  obtained  donkeys  for  ourselves,  we 
bid  farewell  to  Pekin  and  start  for  Tung-chow.  We  have 
decided  to  return  to  Tien-tsin  by  boat;  for,  dropping  down 
the  river  with  the  current,  the  distance  to  Tien-tsin  (one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  miles)  is  easily  accomplished  in  two 
days,  and  is,  of  course,  far  less  fatiguing  than  the  long  horse- 
back ride.  "We  reach  Tung-chow  at  noon,  and  find  that  our 
servant,  whom  we  sent  on  ahead,  has  already  engaged  a  "  house- 
boat," and  four  men  who  are  to  row  us  down  stream.  We 
start  immediately,  and  having  skirted  the  town,  are  soon  glid- 
ing along  through  a  fiat,  thinly  cultivated  country,  while  the 
measured  sound  of  the  oars  alone  breaks  the  silence  around 
us. 

These  "house-boats"  contain  a  sort  of  cabin,  in  which  four 
persons  can  sleep,  and  in  another,  part  of  the  boat  is  a  small 
kitchen,  which  onr  servant  superintends.  The  crew  disappear 
at  aight  into  a  locker  in  the  bow.     They  have  solemnly  prom- 


160  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

ised  us  to  work,  in  turn,  through  the  night;  at  2  A.  M.  I  am 
awakened  by  loud,  confused  shouts.  Starting  up,  I  find  that 
our  craft  is  tied  securely  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  the 
crew  are  nowhere  to  be  seen.  The  New-Yorker  is  calling 
fiercely  to  our  servant,  who,  in  turn,  delivers  our  complaints 
to  the  half-unconscious  crew  down  below.  At  last  three  of 
them  appear,  and,  receiving  a  fresh  volley  of  abuse  with 
Oriental  stolidity,  they  untie  the  boat  and  work  steadily  till 
morning. 

October  5.  —  We  reach  Tien-tsin  at  seven  o'clock  this  morn- 
ing, and  find  the  steamer  Shing  King  lying  at  her  moorings, 
ready  to  start  on  the  morrow.  We  go  at  once  on  board,  and 
are  delighted  to  be  again  in  charge  of  Captain  Hawes. 

October  6.  —  We  start  at  ten  o'clock.  Among  the  passengers 
are  the  English  Commission,  who  are  bound  to  Yiin  Nan  cue 
Shanghai,  to  inquire  into  the  circumstances  of  Margary's  death. 
The  Honorable  Mr.  Grosvenor  (whom  we  met  in  Pekin)  is 
the  chief,  and  to  him  I  owe  much  information  in  regard  to 
the  curious  people  in  whose  country  we  are  travelling.  Our 
fellow-citizen,  Mr.  R  S.  Eussell,  is  also  on  board. 

October  7.  —  We  arrive  at  Che-foo  at  10  A.  M.,  and  remain 
till  afternoon.  We  are  joined  here  by  several  passengers, 
among  whom  is  Mr.  William  M.  Evarts,  Jr.,  of  New  York. 

October  9.  —  At  eight  o'clock  this  evening  we  come  in  sight 
of  Shanghai,  after  a  smooth  and  pleasant  run  from  Che-foo. 
As  we  move  slowly  up  the  river,  the  bright  lights  along  the 


PEKIN   TO   CANTON.  l6l 

"  Bund  "  and  in  the  various  residences  make  us  almost  be- 
lieve that  we  are  approaching  a  city  of  our  own  land. 

October  13.  —  Ever  since  our  start  we  have  planned  to  go 
from  Shanghai  to  Foo-chow,  and  thence  to  Canton  and  Hong 
Kong.  We  have  several  letters  of  introduction  to  Foo-chow, 
and  wish  especially  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  Commis- 
sioner Drew,  a  Harvard  graduate,  who  has  been  in  the  em- 
ploy of  the  Chinese  government  for  twelve  years.  We  find, 
however,  that  we  shall  be  unable  to  make  satisfactory  connec- 
tions with  the  steamers  for  Hong  Kong,  and  we  are  therefore 
obliged  to  give  up  a  visit  to  Foo-chow.  As  we  wish  to  reach 
India  during  the  Prince  of  Wales's  visit  (and  have  much  to 
see  on  the  way),  we  decide  to  take  passage  on  a  steamer 
which  is  to  start  for  Canton  to-morrow  at  daybreak,  and  we 
are  therefore  compelled  to  leave  undelivered  several  letters 
of  introduction  to  people  in  Shanghai. 

At  midnight  we  go  on  board  the  steamer  Glcngyle,  bound 
for  Amoy  and  Canton.  The  Glcngyle  is  a  fine  vessel  of 
thirteen  hundred  and  seventy-five  tons,  and,  with  wind  and 
tide  in  our  favor,  we  move  rapidly  down  the  Wang-poo  River 
and  enter  once  more  the  Yellow  Sea.  Only  three  passengers 
besides  ourselves  are  on  board. 

October  10.  —  At  daybreak  this  morning  we  are  off  Amoy. 
On  our  left  we  can  dimly  see  Formosa.  Around  us  are  a 
score  of  swiftly  sailing  junks,  whose  piratical  owners  arc 
always  on  the  lookout  lor  disabled   vessels,  which  they  plun- 


l62  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

der  without  mercy.  Indeed,  our  captain  tells  us  that  we  are 
in  the  most  dangerous  waters  of  the  Chinese  seas.  The  course, 
he  says,  is  but  imperfectly  marked  on  the  chart ;  hidden  rocks 
abound,  and  the  various  pirate-junks,  for  which  the  region  is 
noted,  are  perpetually  hovering  in  the  neighborhod.  If  a 
steamer  strikes  a  rock,  the  passengers  are  often  obliged  to 
fight  their  way  ashore. 

We  change  our  course  and  approach  Amoy.  On  our  right 
is  the  reef  of  rocks  where  the  steamer  Hector  was  wrecked 
a  few  weeks  before,  and  we  can  plainly  see  the  remains  of  the 
deck  rising  above  the  waves.  We  come  to  anchor  between 
the  native  town  of  Amoy  and  the  little  island  Koo-lum-soo, 
where  the  foreign  population  dwell. 

Amoy  is  a  picturesque  place,  containing,  however,  but  little 
of  interest  to  the  traveller.  It  is  distant  five  hundred  miles 
from  Hong  Kong,  and  contains  a  small  foreign  population 
and  about  two  hundred  thousand  natives. 

We  go  ashore  and  make  our  way  through  the  dirty  streets 
to  the  custom-house,  where  we  find  Mr.  Spinney  (a  recent 
Harvard  graduate),  who  is  employed  by  the  Chinese  govern- 
ment. Afterwards  we  obtain  a  guide  and  walk  about  the 
city.  Amoy  is  by  far  the  dirtiest  place  we  have  yet  seen. 
The  natives  are  quite  different  in  appearance  from  their  coun- 
trymen in  the  North.  They  wear  heavy  turbans,  which  give 
them  a  fierce,  piratical  look.  Here  one  may  buy  necklaces 
and  bracelets,  exquisitely  carved  from  olive-stones.     A  stranger 


PEKIN  TO   CANTON.  1 63 

should,  however,  invariably  refuse  the  specimens  first  offered 
in  the  shops,  as  the  best  goods  are  only  brought  out  when 
the  inferior  are  rejected.  Here,  too,  are  lace  and  silk  factories, 
and  large  quantities  of  artificial  flowers  are  exported  every 
year  to  various  parts  of  the  Empire. 

In  the  afternoon  Mr.  Spinney  comes  aboard  to  return  our 
call.  He  says  his  work  in  the  custom-house  is  continuous 
and  rather  uninteresting  at  present,  but  as  soon  as  he  obtains 
a  little  knowledge  of  the  language  he  shall  progress  more 
rapidly. 

At  midnight  we  weigh  anchor,  and  in  the  light  of  a  full 
moon  resume  our  journey  to  Canton. 

October  18.  —  At  five  o'clock  this  morning  the  first  officer 
rouses  me  and  informs  me  that  the  ship  is  just  entering  the 
harbor  of  Hong  Kong.  Going  quickly  on  deck,  the  scene  in 
the  early  morning  light  is  very  beautiful.  The  sun  has  not 
yet  risen,  and  the  various  lights  of  the  town  shine  clearly 
forth  from  the  base  of  the  hill,  which  rises  perpendicularly 
eighteen  hundred  feet.  As  soon  as  we  drop  anchor  we  are 
surrounded  by  multitudes  of  sampans,  on  the  lookout  for  em- 
ployment. We  intend  to  visit  Hong  Kong  on  our  return 
i'mm  Canton  and  Macao,  and  at  ten  o'clock  we  are  once  more 
on  our  way,  steaming  rapidly  up  the  Cku-kiang,  or  Pearl 
River,  past  beautiful  scenery  on  each  side  of  us,  while  gayly 
painted  junks  and  fishing-boats  are  tossed  up  and  down  un- 
ceremoniously by   our  steamer's   waves.     At   one   o'clock   we 


164  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

pass  the  Boca  or  Bogue  forts,  the  scene  of  a  conflict  between 
the  English  and  the  Chinese  in  1857.  Beyond,  on  our  left, 
is  Whampoa,  where  heavily  loaded  vessels  are  obliged  to  an- 
chor, on  account  of  the  shallowness  of  the  stream  above.  At 
five  o'clock  we  reach  Canton  and  anchor  opposite  Shamien 
(the  foreign  reservation),  in  the  midst  of  a  perfect  flotilla  of 
junks,  "flower-boats,"  "snake-boats,"  and  sampans.  These 
boats  are  the  homes  of  a  large  portion  of  the  population  of 
the  city.  Women  and  young  girls  take  the  place  of  the  men 
(who  for  the  most  part  are  employed  elsewhere),  and  mothers 
with  their  babies  strapped  on  their  backs  wield  a  long  oar 
with  wonderful  muscular  power.  Often,  too,  the  mothers  tie 
their  very  youngest  children  to  the  deck  by  a  long  cord,  while 
those  of  a  few  years  tumble  about  with  a  bamboo  float  fas- 
tened around  them,  which  serves  at  once  for  clothing  and  life- 
preserver.  Canton  River  swarms  with  life.  Regular  streets 
are  formed  by  the  "house-boats,"  which  are  placed  side  by 
side,  and  the  multitude  of  men,  women,  children  (of  all  ages), 
dogs,  ducks,  and  chickens  that  are  packed  away  in  them  for 
the  night  is  appalling !  The  little  children,  however,  are  won- 
derfully well-behaved,  and  look  healthy  and  contented.  In- 
deed, I  have  never  seen  better  behaved  babies  than  those  in 
China.  Early  in  the  morning,  as  I  have  said,  they  are  either 
strapped  to  their  mothers'  backs,  or  tied  by  a  cord  to  the  deck, 
and  no  further  notice  is  taken  of  them,  —  a  fact  they  seem  to 
be  perfectly  well  aware  of,  and  hence  do  not  seek  to  attract 
attention. 


PEKIN   TO   CANTON.  165 

Canton  is  distant  ninety  miles  from  Hong  Kong  and  eighty 
from  Macao.  It  contains  a  population  of  one  million  in  the 
city  proper,  while  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  live  in 
boats.  A  large  foreign  population  still  dwell  on  the  reserva- 
tion, but  the  number  has  been  considerably  diminished  of 
late  years,  owing  to  the  stagnation  of  trade.  Canton  is  situ- 
ated in  exact  accordance  with  the  rules  of  Fcng-Shui.  "  It  is 
placed  in  the  very  angle  formed  by  two  chains  of  hills  running 
in  gentle  curves  towards  the  Bogue,  where  they  almost  meet 
each  other,  forming  a  complete  horseshoe.  The  chain  of  hills 
known  as  the  White  Clouds  represent  the  dragon,  whilst  the 
undulating  ground  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  forms  the 
white  tiger."* 

October  19.  —  "We  go  ashore  soon  after  breakfast.     F and 

I  are  cordially  received  by  Messrs.  Eussell  &  Co.,  to  whom 

we  have  letters ;  while  Mr.  U and  our  English  companion 

are  comfortably  installed  at  the  house  of  the  Commissioner  of 
Customs.  Indeed,  letters  of  introduction  are  absolutely  neces- 
sary in  Canton,  as  the  place  contains  only  one  second-rate 
hotel.  The  house  of  Messrs.  Eussell  &  Co.  stands  on  the  site 
of  the  old  East  India  Company's  Factory,  destroyed  by  a 
mob  in  1856.  Our  hosl  kindly  places  his  private  boat  at 
our   disposal,  and   we  return  to  the  GlerCgyk  for   our   trunks. 

I I  i\  ing  obtained  them,  we  bid  the  captain  and  officers  farewell.*f 

•  Eil  3hnl 

+  It   WOI   farewell   Uld 1.     The  Olcngyle  returned   safely   to   Shanghai,  and 


1 66  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

After  landing  our  baggage  we  spend  the  rest  of  the  day  in 
walking  slowly  about  the  city.  We  find,  on  all  sides,  vast 
quantities  of  ivory  and  sandal-wood  articles,  many  handsome 
cups  of  silver  and  gold,  covered  with  grotesque  designs,  while 
silk  goods  of  the  best  quality  can  be  bought  at  very  reasonable 
prices.  In  the  course  of  our  wanderings  we  enter  a  large  em- 
porium of  fire-crackers,  and  I  perceive  that  I  am  in  the  very 
store  whence  comes  a  certain  brand  of  fire-crackers,  —  the 
Golden  Dragon  Chop,  —  which  was  always  the  favorite  among 
my  companions  at  home.  Opposite  the  house  of  Messrs.  Bus- 
sell  &  Co.  I  see  the  warehouse  containing  the  prepared  ginger 
which  is  exported  from  Canton  in  large  quantities. 

October  W.  —  With  a  guide  in  advance,  we  start  this  morn- 
ing fur  a  walk  through  the  city,  intending  to  visit  some  of 
the  chief  objects  of  interest.  The  streets  of  Canton  are 
scarcely  wide  enough  for  two  sedan-chairs  to  pass  along,  but, 
contrary  to  the  usual  state  of  things  in  China,  the  thorough- 
fines  are  really  very  clean.  Large  painted  signs,  suspended 
perpendicularly,  and  gorgeous  lanterns,  improve  the  outward 
appearance  of  the  houses  and  stores ;  and  in  spite  of  the  vast 
crowds  of  people  hurrying  hither  and  thither,  the  best  of 
order  prevails.  Every  one  seems  to  treat  his  neighbor  with 
courteous  consideration;   oftentimes  when,  on  account  of  the 

oTi  her  next  trip  down  the  coast  to  Amoy  she  struck  on  Namoa  Island 
(off  Amoy),  on  November  9,  and  sank  in  seven  minutes.  Captain  Carnell, 
several  under-officers,  and  many  of  the  crew  were  drowned. 


PEKIX   TO   CANTON. 


167 


excessive    narrowness    of  the    streets,  two    coolies    carrying   a 
heavy  burden    meet   two    other   coolies    similarly   loaded,  and 


influence  of  the  drag.     The  room  is  similar  in  appearance  to 


1 66  DOTTINGS  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

After  landing  our  baggage  we  spend  the  rest  of  the  day  in 
walking  slowly  about  the   city.     We  find,  on  all  sides,  vast 


courteous  consideration;   oftentimes  when,  on  account  of  the 

on  her  next  trip  down  the  coast  to  Amoy  she  struck  on  Namoa  Island 
(off  Amoy),  on  November  9,  and  sank  in  seven  minutes.  Captain  Carnell, 
several  under-ollicers,  and  many  of  the  crew  were  drowned. 


PEKIN   TO   CANTON.  167 

excessive  narrowness  of  the  streets,  two  coolies  carrying  a 
heavy  burden  meet  two  other  coolies  similarly  loaded,  and 
produce  for  the  moment  a  complete  block,  one  pair  quickly 
moves  aside  for  the  others,  while  a  large  crowd  at  each  end 
quietly  wait  till  the  road  is  clear,  without  any  pushing  or 
ill-temper,  so  often  seen  at  home. 

"We  visit  first  the  markets,  where  we  see,  dressed  and  ex- 
posed for  sale,  rats,  cats,  and  puppies,  besides  various  other 
articles  of  food.  As  we  are  passing  a  native  restaurant,  the 
proprietor  lifts  the  cover  from  a  sort  of  stew,  at  the  same 
time  calling  my  attention  to  it,  in  hopes  of  alluring  me  to 
taste.  "  What  b'long  ?  "  I  inquire.  "  This  b'long  cat-hash," 
he  replies,  at  the  same  time  stirring  up  the  mess  with  a 
long  chopstick.  I  shake  my  head  in  disgust.  The  proprietor 
looks  at  it  with  delight,  but  remarks  philosophically,  "  Some 
people  likee,  some  people  no  likee  ! "  "  Yes,"  I  reply,  "  me  no 
likee."     And  I  walk  on. 

From  here  we  make  our  way  to  a  silk-weaving  establish- 
ment, and  can  but  wonder  how  such  beautiful  fabrics  origi- 
nate in  such  disagreeable  quarters.  "We  then  stop  in  at  an 
opium-den.  Owing  to  the  early  hour  of  the  day,  it  is  thinly 
patronized,  but  two  poor  wretches  are  even  now  under  the 
influence  of  the  drug.  The  room  is  similar  in  appearance  to 
the  one  we  visited  in  San  Francisco.  From  here  we  proceed 
to  the  Temple  of  the  Five  Hundred  Genii,  called  in  Chinese 
W'l-laui-Uz.     Canton  contains  one  hundred  and  twenty-four 


1 68  DOTTING S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

temples  and  other  religious  edifices.  This  Temple  of  the  Five 
Hundred  Genii  is  full  of  small  gilded  images,  five  hundred  in 
number,  which  are  placed  around  a  large  room,  called  the 
Hall  of  the  Saints.  Beyond,  is  the  "  Triple  representation  of 
Buddha,"  and  near  by  stands  a  figure  of  the  Emperor  Kien- 
luno-  who  reigned  from  a.  d.  1736-1796.  In  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  temple,  also,  is  a  beautiful  marble  pagoda, 
about  thirty-five  feet  high. 

Our  guide  takes  us  next  to  the  Temple  of  Longevity,  called 
in  Chinese  CKmng-shau-tsz ',  where  we  are  shown  a  colossal 
figure  of  Buddha  in  a  recumbent  position.  We  now  leave 
the  Chinese  city  proper,  and  enter  the  Tartar  city,  and  soon 
arrive  at  the  Tartar  city  temple,  called  in  Chinese  Kwong* 
J((iu-tsz\  Here  are  three  colossal  images  of  Buddha,  about 
twenty  feet  in  height,  and  two  small  granite  pagodas  of  great 
antiquity.  This  temple  was  built  A.  D.  250.  Continuing  our 
way,  we  visit  next  the  Flowery  Pagoda,  called  in  Chinese 
Fa-fap-luk-yung-tsz\  This  building  is  over  two  hundred  feet 
in  height,  and  from  its  summit  we  obtain  a  fine  view  of  the 
city.  On  our  way  back  we  stop  at  the  Mohammedan  Moscpie, 
said  to  have  been  founded  by  Arabian  voyagers  in  A.  I).  850. 
It  is  called  in  Chinese  Kwong-fap-,ivai^shing-tsz\  Having  re- 
moved our  shoes,  we  enter,  but,  except  some  rich  carpets  and 
a  faw  curious  tablets,  it  contains  little  of  interest.  We  finish 
our  morning's  tour  by  an  inspection  of  the  Temple  of  tin: 
Five  Genii.      The  Chinese  name  is  ; '  Xg-sin-hun.      Here  there 


PER  IN   TO   CAXTOX.  1 69 

is  much  that  will  well  repay  investigation.  As  we  enter  we 
see  a  large  idol.  This  is  the  supreme  god  of  the  Tauists. 
Near  by  is  a  very  large  bell,  which  was  struck  by  a  cannon- 
ball  from  an  English  man-of-war  during  the  bombardment  of 
the  city,  in  1857.  The  bell  is  said  to  have  been  placed  in 
this  temple  hundreds  of  years  ago,  and  a  prophecy  was  then 
Uttered,  declaring  that  evil  would  fall  upon  the  city  when 
the  bell  gave  forth  sound.  AVhile  doing  our  best  to  accept 
this  statement,  we  are  led  by  our  guide  to  a  little  court- 
yard of  the  temple,  in  which  is  a  large  rock,  with  a  curious 
impression  on  its  surface,  somewhat  like  the  print  of  a  gi- 
gantic foot.  This  is  declared  by  the  priests  to  be  the  mark 
of  the  divine  Buddha.  Before  passing  out  we  are  shown  five 
stones  which  represent  five  holy  rams,  from  which  Canton  is 
said  to  have  derived  the  name  of  the  "  City  of  Bams."  From 
here  we  return  to  Ki-clwng  (Russell  &  Co.'s  residence). 

After  tiffin  and  a  good  rest  we  set  out  again.  Embarking 
in  our  host's  boat  (for  every  merchant  possesses  a  well-built 
boat  for  the  use  of  his  establishment),  we  are  rowed  rapidly 
across  the  river  to  the  great  Honam  Temple,  called  in  Chi- 
uese  //'//-' ■}">ni/-fs;\  It  was  built  about  A.  d.  1G75,  by  the 
son-in-law  of  the  Emperor  Kang-hi.  Among  the  various  idols 
is  an  image  of  Koon-yam  (the  Japanese  Kuanon),  the  Hearer 
of  Prayers.  A  handsome  pagoda,  of  white  marble,  stands  in 
the  main  hall  Near  the  temple,  in  an  adjoining  building, 
me    acred   pigs,  enormously  fat,  kept  by  the  priests  as 


170  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

an  example  to  the  people  to  obey  the  command  of  Buddha, 
forbidding  the  destruction  of  a  single  living  creature.  For 
the  same  reason  a  quantity  of  fish  are  fed  daily  in  an  arti- 
ficial pond  near  by.*  Going  now  through  the  temple  grounds, 
we  are  conducted  to  an  immense  urn,  in  which  the  ashes  of 
the  priests  belonging  to  the  temple  are  placed  after  crema- 
tion. Our  guide  assures  us  that  the  urn  now  contains  the 
ashes  of  eighteen  hundred  and  thirty-two.  As  we  retrace  our 
steps  by  one  of  the  halls  of  the  temple,  we  see  the  priests  at 
supper.  Several  act  as  waiters,  and  walk  round  the  room, 
filling  each  one's  bowl  with  an  uninviting  stew  of  a  sort  of 
herb.  The  long  line  of  priests  with  their  flowing  robes  —  not 
too  clean  —  and  shaved  heads,  eating  rapidly  with  chopsticks, 
is  not  a  pleasant  sight.  They  offer  us  some  refreshment,  but 
we  shudder  and  decline. 

Having  returned  to  the  boat,  we  recross  the  river  and 
make  our  way  to  the  Execution  Ground,  called  Tin-tsz'-ma- 
tfau.  A  more  dismal  spot  from  which  to  make  exit  from  the 
world  could  hardly  be  obtained.  On  landing  from  the  river, 
we  are  led  through  a  neglected  garden  into  a  small  plot  of 
ground,  enclosed  on  one  side  by  a  high  mud-wall,  and  on 
the  other  by  the  rear  of  a  pottery  manufactory.     This  is  the 

*  I  have  been  told,  however,  that  Buddhists  allow  themselves  to  eat  fish, 
on  the  ground  that  they  themselves  do  not  actually  put  them  to  death  ;  for, 
having  removed  a  fish  from  the  water,  it  dies  without  any  interference  from 
man. 


PEKIN  TO  CANTON.  171 

Execution  Ground  of  the  city.  A  narrow  alley  connects  it 
with  one  of  the  principal  streets.  Several  skulls  are  strewn 
about ;  and  in  the  centre  of  the  place  a  large  pool  of  clotted 
blood,  and  a  head  covered  with  a  piece  of  matting,  give  cer- 
tain evidence  that  some  criminal  has  very  recently  paid  the 
penalty  of  his  crimes.  On  inquiring,  we  are  told  that  a  man 
was  executed  only  twenty-four  hours  before.  At  one  end  of 
the  Execution  Ground  are  two  tall  upright  poles  on  which 
the  heads  of  notorious  malefactors  are  displayed.  As  we  are 
leaving  the  grounds  we  meet  the  executioner,  —  a  fat,  happy- 
looking  native,  calmly  smoking  his  pipe.  Our  guide  addresses 
him  respectfully.  He  tells  us  that  he  receives  for  his  ser- 
vices "  half-dollar  one  piecee,"  and  is  evidently  satisfied  with 
his  lot.  We  ask  to  examine  his  official  sword,  but  he  replies 
that  it  is  kept  in  the  neighboring  Yamen,  and  only  brought 
to  him  when  a  criminal  is  to  be  killed. 

Leaving  this  place  of  death,  we  follow  our  guide  to  the 
city  prison.  Here  we  are  immediately  surrounded  by  a  crowd 
of  miserable  prisoners,  some  chained  together,  others  with  a 
ball  and  chain  on  their  legs,  all  of  them  clamorous  for  a  few 
"cash."  Among  the  convicts  is  a  wretched  woman  who  has 
poisoned  her  husband.  For  this  deed  she  is  to  be  cut  into 
thirty-six  pieces  on  the  Execution  Ground.  The  Chinese  be- 
lieve that  if  the  body  is  deprived  of  any  member  or  part  at 
or  before  death,  that  very  portion  will  be  lacking  in  the  next 
world  ;   consequently  there    is    no  worse  punishment,  in    their 


172  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE  CIRCLE. 

opinion,  apart  from  the  physical  pain,  than  to  undergo  a 
separation  of  limb  from  limb.  A  gentleman  who  witnessed 
this  terrible  torture  told  me  that  nothing  could  be  more  in- 
human; for,  beginning  with  the  extremities,  the  less  vital 
parts  are  lopped  off,  until  the  victim  either  dies  from  pain 
and  loss  of  blood,  or  endures  the  agony  till  the  heart  itself 
is  destroyed. 

"We  next  visit  the  Examination  Hall,  called  in  Chinese 
Kung-iln.  This  contains  about  8,650  cells,  in  which  the  can- 
didates are  locked  and  left  entirely  alone  for  two  days,  till 
their  answers  to  the  given  questions  have  been  handed  in  to 
the  authorities.  Similar  examinations  are  held  at  certain 
times  in  all  the  provinces  and  districts,  and  by  means  of 
these,  and  a  final  and  much  more  severe  one  held  triennially 
at  Pekin,  various  high  offices  of  the  Empire  are  apportioned. 
Any  one  may  be  a  candidate  for  the  lowest  or  district  ex- 
amination. If  he  passes  this  and  is  still  ambitious,  he  must 
then  apply  for  the  provincial  examination,  and  the  chosen 
few  from  each  province  strive  in  the  Imperial  examination 
at  Pekin  for  the  button  of  a  powerful  mandarin,  or  some 
other  magistracy,  and  sometimes  return  as  rulers  of  the  prov- 
ince from  whence  they  came. 

We  now  proceed  to  the  Temple  of  Horrors,  called  by  the 
Chinese  Shing-wong-miu.  It  contains  a  large  number  of  fig- 
ures, which  were  made  to  represent  the  tortures  of  the  wicked 
in  hell.      About  a  dozen  small  chambers,  enclosed  by  a  sort 


PEKIX   TO   CANTON.  1 73 

of  wooden  -wicker-work,  are  filled  with  devils  who  are  caus- 
ing sinful  wretches  to  pay  the  penalty  of  crimes  committed 
in  the  body.  In  one  room  an  unfortunate  man  is  exhibited 
jammed  in  a  wooden  vise ;  in  another,  several  imps  have 
just  thrown  their  victim  into  a  pot  of  molten  lead;  in  an- 
other, they  are  slowly  strangling  a  man;  while  in  each  com- 
partment a  large  statue  of  the  Devil  himself  looks  down  joy- 
fully on  the  various  performances.  This  temple  is  evidently 
regarded  with  awe  by  the  common  people,  for  we  saw  little 
km  its  come  up  in  turn  and  gaze  through  the  bars  with  a 
look  of  horror  on  their  faces. 

On  our  way  back  we  visit  the  water-clock,  called  Tung-u- 
tH-/"u,  a  very  old  and  curious  machine.  Then,  striking 
rapidly  down  a  side  street  to  the  river,  we  call  a  sampan, 
and  are  soon  landed  at  the  dock  of  Eussell  &  Co.* 

In  the  various  Buddhist  temples  that  we  have  visited  in 
China  I  have  observed  an  entire  absence  of  that  reverent 
ami  heart-felt  worship  which  is  noticeable  in  Japan.  The 
and  people  perforin  the  ceremonies  of  their  sect  with 
an  air  of  decided  carelessness,  regarding  them  evidently  as 
forms  which  must  be  discharged  to  insure  their  safety  in  the 
World  to  come.  The  buildings  themselves,  and  the  various 
sacred  utensils,  are  ill  kept  and  neglected. 

The   service   in  a  Buddhist  temple  is  astonishingly  similar 

'  The  temples  and  otheT  objects  <>f  interest  in  Canton  arc  so  located,  that, 
with  a  good  guide,  one  may  visit  the  majority  in  a  single  day. 


174  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

to  the  form  of  worship  in  a  Eoman  Catholic  church.  Pro- 
cessions of  priests  march  up  and  clown,  swinging  censers,  and 
bowing  before  richly  decorated  altars  on  which  are  several 
tapers  burning  dimly.  A  little  bell  or  gong,  struck  from  time 
to  time,  increases  the  resemblance.  The  following  graphic 
description  of  a  Buddhist  temple  I  copy  from  a  most  inter- 
esting pamphlet,  recently  published,  which  I  obtained  in 
Hong  Konsj- : — * 

"As  you  turn  towards  the  principal  entrance  to  the  build- 
ing, you  remark,  a  yard  or  two  in  advance  of  the  flight  of 
steps  leading  up  to  it,  figures  of  crouching  lions  carved  in 
stone  and  resting  on  pedestals,  placed  on  either  side.  You 
will  be  told  that  these  are  emblems  of  Shakyarnuni,  whose 
cognomen  Shakyasimha  (lit.  Shakya,  the  lion)  indicates  that 
he  is,  by  his  moral  excellence,  the  king  of  men,  as  the  lion 
by  his  strength  is  the  king  of  the  beasts.  Perhaps  your  guide 
will  even  quote  a  passage  from  his  sacred  scriptures,  'As  a 
lion's  howl  makes  all  animals  tremble,  subdues  elephants, 
arrests  birds  in  their  flight,  and  fish  in  the  water,  thus 
Buddha's  utterances  upset  all  other  religions,  subdue  all  devils, 
conquer  all  heretics,  and  arrest  all  the  misery  of  life.' 

"  If  it  is  a  sunny  day  you  will  find  gathered  on  the  en- 
trance steps  a  motley  assembly;  priests  and  beggars,  lying  lazily 
in  the  sun,  or  engaged  in  entological  pursuits,  mending  their 

*  Buddhism  ;  its  Historical,  Theoretical,  aud  Popular  Aspects.  By  Ernest 
J.   Eitel,  M.  A.,   Ph.  D. 


PEKIN  TO   CANTON.  175 

clothes,  cobbling  their  shoes,  cleaning  their  opium-pipes, 
smoking,  gambling,  and  so  forth,  and  your  appearance  will 
be  the  signal  for  a  general  clamor  for  an  alms-offering  in 
the  shape  of  a  foreign  cent,  or  they  will  offer  their  services 
as  guides.  But  if  it  should  happen  to  be  a  feast  day  the  steps 
and  the  whole  open  space  in  front,  with  the  court-yards  in- 
side, will  be  crowded  to  excess  by  a  busy  multitude,  men, 
women,  and  children,  who  have  come  to  worship  or  to  con- 
sult the  oracle,  hawkers  of  fruit  and  other  edibles,  booths 
with  fancy  articles  of  all  kinds,  stalls  opened  by  druggists, 
wandering  doctors,  fortune-tellers,  tents  for  the  purpose  of 
gambling,  in  short,  a  complete  fair,  which  pushes  its  lumber 
and  its  clamor  close  to  the  very  altars  of  the  divinities  wor- 
shipped inside  the  central  temple. 

"As  you  enter  the  front  door,  a  martial  figure,  with  defy- 
ing mien,  armed  to  the  teeth  and  sword  in  hand,  confronts 
you.  It  is  the  image  of  Veda,  the  patron  and  protector  of 
monasteries.  Inside  the  door  there  are  to  the  right  and  left 
niches  for  the  spirits  of  the  doorway,  who  are  supposed  to 
keep  out  all  evil  influences,  and  for  the  Naga  (dragon)  spirits, 
who  are  looked  upon  as  the  tutelary  deities  of  the  ground  on 
which  the  sacred  buildings  are  erected. 

"Having  passed  the  first  court-yard,  you  are  led  through  a 
second  gateway,  when  your  eye  is  arrested  by  four  gigantic 
images,  two  being  placed  on  either  side,  of  the  gateway,  guard- 
ing, as  it  were,  with   flaming  eyes,  the  entrance  to  the  sane- 


176  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

tuary  beyond.  Your  guide  will  inform  you  that  they  are  the 
demon-kings  of  the  four  regions  (Tchatur  Maharadjas),  who 
guard  the  world  against  the  attack  of  evil  spirits  (Asttras) ; 
that  each  of  them  is  posted  on  a  different  side  of  the  central 
mountain  (Meru),  engaged  in  guarding  and  defending  with  the 
assistance  of  lame  armies  under  their  command  the  corre- 
sponding  quarter  of  the  heavens.  You  will  find  incense 
lighted  at  the  feet  of  these  giants,  and  the  images  themselves 
almost  covered  with  slips  of  paper,  containing  either  a  record 
of  vows  to  be  performed  in  case  of  prayer  answered  by  these 
heroes,  or  a  record  of  thanks  for  favors  already  bestowed.  For 
you  will  be  told,  or  may  witness  it,  perhaps,  with  your  own 
eyes,  that  these  demon-kings  are  daily  worshipped  by  the 
common  people,  who  ascribe  to  them  the  power  of  healing  all 
those  diseases,  and  of  preventing  or  averting  all  those  calami- 
ties, which  are  supposed  to  be  the  work  of  evil  spirits. 

"After  crossing  a  second  court-yard  you  reach  the  princi- 
pal temple  by  ascending  a  small  flight  of  steps.  On  entering 
this  building  you  see  before  you  five  little  altars  placed  in  a 
row,  with  a  small  image  on  each ;  and  if  it  is  the  hour  of 
prayer  you  may  find  a  number  of  priests  in  full  canonicals, 
resembling  so  many  Roman  Catholic  priests,  chanting  their 
monotonous  litanies  and  responses  to  the  sound  of  bell  and  a 
sort  of  wooden  drum 

"  Step  nearer.  You  need  not  fear  to  give  offence  or  to 
disturb  the  devotion  of  men,  who,  whilst  mechanically  con- 


PEKIN  TO   CANTON.  177 

tinuing  their  monotonous  litany  and  chanting  their  responses, 
■will  stretch  out  a  hand  to  examine  the  texture  of  your  clothes, 
to  receive  an  alms,  or  offer  to  light  your  cigar  or  criticise  in 
whispers  the  shape  and  size  of  your  nose.  Glance  over  the 
shoulder  of  one  of  those  priests  and  examine  his  'manual  of 
daily  prayer.'  It  is  neatly  printed  in  large-sized,  full-bodied 
native  type  and  in  the  native  character,  but  totally  unintelli- 
gible to  him,  for  it  is  Sanskrit,  pure  grammatical  Sanskrit, 
systematically  transliterated,  syllable  by  syllable.  Listen  to 
him,  as  he  chants,  rhythmically  indeed,  but  in  drowsy  monoto- 
nous voice:  ' Sarva  iathdgatd  schamdm  Samdvasantu  budd- 
lujd  buddhyd  siddhyd  siddhyd  bodhaya  lodhaya  vibodhaya 
vibodhaya  mochaya  vimochaya  vimochaya  sodhaya  sodhaya  vi- 
sodhaya  visodhaya  Samantdm  mochaya  Samanta'  etc.,  etc. 
Poor  fellow,  he  has  not  the  slightest  idea  of  the  meaning  of 
these  words,  though  he  may  have  been  chanting  these  San- 
skrit prayers  day  after  day  for  ever  so  many  years.  But  he 
lias  a  notion  that  these  strange  sounds  have  some  magic  effect, 
beneficial  for  himself  and  for  the  salvation  of  his  soul.  There 
is,  however,  tolerably  good  sense  in  the  words  of  his  prayer 
which  reads,  when  translated,  as  follows:  'May  all  the  Tatha- 
ifl  i.  e.  Buddhas)  take  up  their  abode  in  me!  ever  teach, 
ever  instruct,  ever  deliver  with  all  knowledge!  with  all  knowl- 
edge deliver,  deliver,  completely  deliver!  purify,  purify,  pu- 
rify, completely  purify!  deliver,  O  deliver  all  living  crea- 
tures' !  etc. 


178  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

"  Pass  on  from  these  poor  deluded  souls  that   grope  in  the 

darkness  for  the  light  of  a  Saviour  whom  they  know  not 

Visit  some  of  the  smaller  buildings;  you  will  probably  see 
in  one  of  them  a  fine  marble  pagoda  reaching  to  the  very 
rafters  of  the  roof.  It  is  built  in  strict  Indian  style,  taste- 
fully decorated,  and  forms  the  receptacle  of  some  sacred  relic. 
There  may  be  in  it  perhaps  a  hair  of  Buddha,  or  a  tooth,  or 
a  particle  of  his  robe,  or  some  relic  of  one  of  his  disciples. 
There  also  prayers  are  offered,  and  sacrificial  offerings  of  flow- 
ers, candles,  and  incense,  presented  by  the  people,  who,  true 
to  the  fetichistic  habits  of  their  forefathers,  ascribe  mirac- 
ulous healing  powers  to  such  relics But  suppose  you 

retrace  your  steps  through  the  various  temples  you  have 
visited,  you  will  find  it  interesting  to  have  a  look  at  the 
apartments  occupied  by  the  priests.  They  have  most  of  them 
their  own  cells,  but  dine  together  in  one  large  hall,  which, 
together  with  the  kitchen  and  its  enormous  rice-boilers,  are 
worthy  a  visit.  The  abbot  has  his  private  rooms,  apart  from 
the  cells  of  the  priests.  You  may  find  him  willing  to  receive 
you,  but  you  will  be  astonished  if  you  enter  his  rooms  ex- 
pecting to  find  there  the  same  primitive  simplicity  and  econ- 
omy which  you  noticed  when  passing  through  the  apartments 
allotted  to  the  use  of  the  priests,  and  which  reminded  you 
so  strongly  of  the  internal  arrangements  of  a  Roman  Catholic 
monastery.  A  modern  abbot  takes  it  generally  very  easy. 
If  his  monastery  is   not   too   far   from  any  centre  of  foreign 


PEKIN  TO   CANTON.  179 

commerce,  he  will  show  you  with  pride  a  collection  of  articles 
de  hixe.  He  has  watches  and  clocks  of  foreign  manufacture, 
photographs  of  less  than  questionable  decency,  and  he  is 
generally  not  only  a  confirmed  opium-smoker,  but  considers 
himself  a  good  judge  of  champagne,  port,  and  sherry.  His 
attendants  are  invariably  laymen,  relatives  of  his  own,  who 
may  have  no  intention  whatever  to  take  the  vows.  But  the 
same  abbot  may  also  have  a  printing-press  with  movable 
types,  likewise  of  foreign  manufacture,  and  you  may  see  it 
turning  out  neat  reprints  of  the  most  popular  portions  of  the 
Buddhist  scriptures,  or  little  tracts  and  pamphlets  of  local 
reputation. 

"  After  a  visit  to  the  gardens,  which  are  generally  well  kept 
and  which  abound  in  curious  specimens  of  artificial  training, 
after  a  passing  glance  at  the  place  where  the  bodies  of  de- 
ceased priests  are  burned,  and  the  tomb  which  covers  their 
ashes,  you  return  through  the  labyrinth  of  galleries  and  courts. 
In  one  of  the  latter  you  may  now  notice  a  series  of  little 
chambers,  popularly  called  chambers  of  horrors,  containing 
statuary  representations  of  the  various  tortures  supposed  to 
be  employed  in  the  various  compartments  of  hell.  For  your 
guide  will  tell  you,  with  a  sly  hit  at  yourself,  that  all  those 
who  do  not  believe  in  Buddhism,  or  violate  its  command- 
ments, will  after  death  be  reborn  in  hell.  He  will  inform 
you  thai  there  are  underneath  our  earth  eight  large  hells  of 
extreme  heat,  eight  more  of   extreme    cold,  again    eight    hells 


180  DOTTING S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

of  utter  darkness,  and  on  the  edge  of  each  universe  ten  cold 
hells;  but  as  each  of  these  hells  has  many  antechambers  and 
smaller  hells  attached,  all  being  places  of  torture,  there  are 
in  reality  altogether  over  a  hundred  thousand  of  such  cham- 
bers of  horrors.  A  pleasant  prospect  to  heretics  like  yourself, 
your  priest  will  add. 

"  On  passing  out  through  the  gate,  your  eye  may  perhaps  be 
arrested  by  a  crowd  of  people  surrounding  a  number  of  pigs 
wallowing  in  the  richest  food  thrown  before  them.  You  will 
also  notice  in  a  conspicuous  position  near  these  pigs  a  poor- 
box,  into  which  the  people  drop  their  offerings  of  money. 
What  is  it  all  about  ?  Look  at  the  inscription  affixed  to  that 
box  in  large  staring  letters,  '  Save  life ! '  The  greatest  Buddh- 
ist commandment  is  that  which  forbids  the  taking  of  life. 
All  life,  human  as  well  as  animal  life,  is  absolutely  sacred 
in  the  eyes  of  the  Buddhist  devotee.  The  killing  of  animals 
for  the  purpose  of  food  is  a  heinous  offence.  Still  more  so 
is  the  love  of  cruelty  which  leads  the  strong  to  prey  upon 
the  weak,  and  enables  the  sportsman,  the  fox-hunter,  the  deer- 
stalker, the  pigeon-shooter,  in  heathen  and  Christian  countries, 
to  derive  a  horrible  enjoyment  from  the  piteous  sufferings  of 
poor  dumb  animals.  These  pigs  are  therefore  exhibited  by 
the  priests  to  remind  the  people  of  this  greatest  of  all  Buddh- 
ist commandments But,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  ridic- 
ulous to  compare  this  Buddhist  commandment,  'thou  shalt 
not  take  life,'  with  the  religion  of  Him  who  would  not  break 


PEKIN   TO   CAXTOX.  l8l 

the  bruised  reed  nor  quench  the  smoking  flax,  and  to  give 
the  palm  —  as  some  European  admirers  of  Buddhism  have 
actually  done  —  to  this  Buddhist  ideal  of  charity.  Just  ask 
your  guide  whether  the  Buddhist  church,  which  so  laudably 
extends  its  charity  even  to  the  brute  creation  and  assiduously 
feeds  sacred  pigs  in  its  monasteries,  exerts  herself  to  amelio- 
rate the  condition  of  poor  suffering  humanity.  He  will  have 
to  acknowledge  that  no  hospitals,  no  asylums  for  the  blind, 
the  deformed,  the  destitute,  have  ever  been  founded  by  a 
Buddhist  community.  Alms,  indeed,  are  encouraged,  but  they 
are  to  be  bestowed  on  the  worthiest,  —  on  the  priest,  the  clois- 
ter, the  church,  —  and  thus  the  current  of  charity  is  diverted 
from  the  destitute  or  outcasts  of  society,  whose  very  destitu- 
tion is,  according  to  the  Buddhist  scriptures,  a  proof  of  their 
unworthiness,  to  the  worthiest  on  earth,  to  the  community  of 
priests,  who  are  bound  to  receive  the  gifts  bestowed,  in  order 
that  the  faithful  may  acquire  merit,  though  forbidden  by  the 
self-renouncing  principles  of  their  creed  to  retain  them  for 
their  private  advantage.  Thus  it  was  brought  about  that  the 
Buddhist  priests  take  to  feeding  sacred  pigs.  A  Buddhist 
iVabody,  therefore,  would  be  doing  the  correct  thing  if  he 
were  to  throw  all  his  humanitarian  efforts  with  all  his  money 
—  before  the  swine. 

Well,  you  have  visited  a  fair  specimen  of  the  popular  pan- 
theon of  Northern  Buddhism.  What  is  the  result?  .  .  .  . 
Ancient  Buddhism  knows   of  no  Bin-atoning  power;    it  holds 


1 82  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

out  to  the  troubled,  guilty  conscience  no  prospect  of  mercy, 
no  chance  of  obtaining  forgiveness,  no  possibility  of  justifica- 
tion, allowing  not  even  so  much  as  extenuation  of  guilt  under 
any  circumstances  whatever It  is  a  science  without  in- 
spiration, a  religion  without  God,  a  body  without  a  spirit, 
unable  to  regenerate,  cheerless,  cold,  dead,  and  deplorably 
barren  of  results." 

October  21.  —  We  call  this  morning  on  the  American  con- 
sul (our  fellow-passenger  on  the  Great  Republic).  He  invites 
us  to  come  to  the  consulate  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
and  be  present  at  his  formal  reception  of  the  Viceroy.  As 
we  have  no  right  to  wear  an  official  costume,  we  are  obliged 
to  decline.  We  promise,  however,  to  dine  at  the  consulate 
on  the  morrow.  We  dine  in  the  evening  with  Commissioner 
Hart,  brother  of  Commissioner  James  Hart  of  Pekin. 

October  22. —  Colonel  Lincoln,  the  American  consul,  has 
kindly  invited  us  to  come  to  his  house  at  four  o'clock  this 
afternoon,  and,  in  company  with  himself  and  family,  to  spend 
an  hour  on  the  river  and  return  afterwards  to  dinner.  All 
the  foreign  consuls  have  large,  comfortable  boats,  with  well- 
protected  cabins ;  and  the  flags  of  the  different  countries  float 
gracefully  over  the  sterns.  All  thanks  to  Mrs.  Lincoln,  for 
the  first  time  in  my  travels  I  see  my  country's  representative 
surrounded  by  attendants  appropriately  dressed.  Mrs.  Lincoln 
has  presented  to  the  crew  of  her  husband's  official  boat  a  very 
simple  but  tasteful  uniform,  of  which  they  are  very  proud.     It 


I  L 


PEKIN   TO   CANTON.  1 83 

consists  of  a  white  sailor's  shirt  with  a  broad  blue  collar  on 
which  are  stars,  blue  trousers,  and  a  broad-brimmed  straw 
hat  with  American  Consul  printed  on  the  ribbon.  Besides 
these  articles,  each  man  has  a  handsome  red  sash  tied  around 
his  waist.  Small  matters  like  these  make  a  great  impression 
on  the  Chinese  mind.  The  common  people  judge  largely  of 
the  importance  of  a  foreign  country  by  the  size  of  its  consu- 
late, its  interior  arrangements,  of  which  they  hear  through  the 
servants,  and  by  the  appearance  of  the  attendants  of  the  rep- 
resentative when  they  accompany  their  master  about  the  city. 
"While  other  nations  seem  to  recognize  this,  —  as  is  proved  by 
the  marked  dress  of  their  servants,  the  spaciousness  of  their 
legations,  and  the  precision  with  which  their  households  are 
conducted,  —  America  pays  but  little  attention  to  the  quar- 
ters or  maintenance  of  those  she  sends  abroad. 

After  a  very  pleasant  row  on  the  river  and  a  visit  to  a 
large  joss-house  lately  erected,  we  return  to  the  consulate  for 
dinner. 

To-morrow  we  leave  Canton  and  continue  our  journey  to 
Macao.  In  Canton  one  sees  thorough  Chinese  life.  The  peo- 
ple are  more  interesting  than  the  inhabitants  of  the  North. 
They  are  more  agreeable  and  kindly  to  foreigners,  their  streets 
and  dwellings  are  far  cleaner,  and  they  are  farther  advanced 
in  tin-  peculiar  arts  of  their  race.  Pekin  is  a  barbarous  en- 
campment  on  tin-  frontier  of  civilization.  Canton  is  a  bus- 
fcling  city  which  brings  continually  before  the  mind  thoughts 
of  the  past,  the  present,  and  the  future. 


1 84  DOTTIXGS  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

CANTON   TO    BATAVIA. 

Macao.  — Fan-tan  Gambling.  —  Hong  Kong.  —  Singapore.  — Crossing  the 
Eqvator.  —  Arrival  at  Batavia. 

October  23. —  At  half  past  seven  this  morning  we  bid  fare- 
well to  our  kind  hosts  and  go  on  board  the  steamer  Spark, 
bound  for  Macao.  Just  before  we  start  a  graceful  row-boat 
draws  near,  propelled  by  a  neatly  dressed  crew  and  steered 
by  a  foreigner.  It  is  Commissioner  Hart,  who  has  come  to 
wish  us  good-speed.  Soon  our  vessel  is  under  weigh.  Hav- 
ing passed  Whampoa,  I  perceive  that  the  door  leading  to  the 
steerage  is  locked,  while  a  native  of  Manilla,  armed  with 
pistols  and  a  huge  cutlass,  walks  up  and  clown  continually 
before  it.  An  armed  man,  likewise,  patrols  the  upper  deck. 
I  am  informed  by  the  captain  that  these  precautions  are 
necessitated  by  the  quantities  of  pirates  that  infest  the 
waters  between  Canton  and  Macao.  He  says,  furthermore, 
that  every  Chinese  passenger  is  searched  as  he  comes  aboard, 
and  all  suspicious-looking  baskets,  bundles,  and  packages  are 
thoroughly  overhauled,  in  order  that  any  concealed  weapons 
may  be  brought  to  light. 

"  About  two  years  ago,"  says  he,  "  the  Spark  one  morning 


CANTON   TO  BAT  AVI  A.  1 85 

left  Canton  with  a  large  number  of  Chinese  steerage-passen- 
gers bound  for  Macao.  Whampoa  was  passed  in  safety,  and 
the  Spark  hud  reached  the  broad  portion  of  the  river  and 
steaming  rapidly  along,  when  several  junks  were  observed 
headed  directly  for  the  vessel.  This  excited  no  remark,  how- 
ever, but  a  blast  of  the  whistle  was  given  as  a  notification 
of  the  steamer's  approach.  It  was  noon.  The  captain  was 
at  dinner ;  the  only  passenger  was  sitting  idly  on  deck,  and 
the  quartermaster  at  the  wheel  was  steering  the  vessel  easily 
through  the  calm  water  without  need  of  assistance.  Suddenly 
a  body  of  natives  rushed  up  from  the  steerage,  poured  over 
the  upper  deck  and  fell  upon  the  foreigners  without  mercy. 
The  captain  was  literally  cut  to  pieces.  The  passenger  was 
mortally  wounded  and  left  for  dead,  and  several  of  the  crew 
who  resisted  were  killed  by  their  fellow-countrymen.  Imme- 
diately the  junks  (which  were  previously  noticed)  approached 
the  Spark,  and  another  score  of  rascals  climbed  over  the  side. 
The  captors,  however,  were  unable  to  make  off  with  their 
prize.  They  were  ignorant  of  the  practical  use  of  the  ma- 
chinery. Having  therefore  plundered  and  stripped  the  vessel 
from  stem  to  stern,  they  decamped  in  the  junks  and  made 
for  the  nearest  land.  The  Chinese  who  were  left  on  the 
Spark  succeeded  in  bringing  the  vessel  to  Macao.  The  out- 
rage was  promptly  reported  to  the  authorities;  the  pirates 
were  pursued,  and  several  that  were  captured  were  executed. 
Since  thai  time  all  steamers  on  these  waters  post  a  guard  in 
bow  and  stern." 


1 86  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

At  5  p.  M.,  after  a  smooth  and  delightful  trip,  we  reach 
Guia  light,  and  come  in  sight  of  the  curious  pink,  yellow, 
and  brown  buildings,  which  give  to  Macao  such  a  strange 
appearance,  —  so  different  from  anything  we  have  seen  for 
the  past  few  months.  As  soon  as  we  have  landed  we  make 
our  way  to  the  Eoyal  Hotel,  followed  by  a  string  of  Portu- 
guese beggars,  who  are  even  more  importunate  than  China- 
men. Macao  was  settled  by  the  Portuguese  in  a.  d.  1547 ; 
and  though  this  nation  has  held  it  ever  since,  and  filled  it 
with  her  own  citizens  and  soldiery,  still  China  has  always 
insisted  that  it  is  in  reality  under  her  dominion.  A  lovely 
place  it  is,  with  a  long  curved  beach,  and  with  boldly  rising 
hills  around,  on  whose  summits  fleecy  clouds  rest  constantly. 
In  front  of  the  town  are  several  islands.  The  typhoon  of 
September,  1874,  did  great  damage  to  the  town  and  harbor, 
but  the  traces  of  the  disaster  are  nearly  removed. 

The  hotel  is  built  on  a  long  curved  street,  Praya  Grande, 
which  follows  the  bend  of  the  beach.  The  trade  of  Macao 
has  departed.  The  coolie  traffic  alone  remains.  In  the  Chi- 
nese quarter,  however,  the  stores  are  as  thronged  as  in  Can- 
ton. Undoubtedly  in  time  the  whole  place  will  have  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  the  Chinese.  The  few  Portuguese  officials 
who  are  obliged  to  reside  here  come  with  reluctance.  A 
social  circle  scarcely  exists.  The  place  is  lifeless  in  part,  and 
the  busy  multitude  of  Chinamen  only  brings  before  the  minds 
of  the  foreigners  the  terible  loneliness  of  their  lot. 


CAXTOX  TO  BAT  AVI  A.  1 87 


Soon  after  dinner  we  take  sedan-chairs  and  visit  the  great 
fan-tan  establishment.  Fan-tan  is  a  gambling  game  which 
is  played  continually  in  Macao,  both  by  foreigners  and 
Chinese.  The  Portuguese  government  receives  one  hundred 
aud  fifty  thousand  dollars  a  year  as  a  license  from  the 
proprietors  of  the  gambling-houses.  Every  Saturday  evening 
the  steamers  from  Canton  and  Hong  Kong  bring  many  for- 
eigners to  try  their  luck  on  the  fan-tan  table.  Here  all  is 
eagerness,  animation,  and  excitement,  —  a  dangerous  agent  to 
banish  loneliness  and  ennui. 

The  game  is  played  as  follows  :  a  flat  piece  of  lead,  per- 
fectly square  and  a  foot  in  length  and  breadth,  is  placed  in 
the  middle  of  the  table.  The  banker  —  a  keen-looking  China- 
man —  thrusts  his  hand  into  a  pile  of  "  cash,"  and,  grasping 
as  many  as  he  can,  lays  them  down  on  the  table  in  sight  of 
the  players.  The  players  than  stake  certain  sums  on  1,  2,  3, 
or  4,  laying  their  money  opposite  the  sides  of  the  square 
so  numbered.  Taking  now  two  chopsticks,  the  banker  slowly 
counts  off  the  "  cash,"  pushing  aside  four  at  a  time,  and  the 
number  of  the  last  count  which  finishes  the  pile  —  four,  three, 
two,  or  one,  whatever  may  end  it  —  determines  the  winning 
Bide  of  the  lead  square.  As  the  banker  evidently  cannot  be 
sure  of  the  number  of  "cash"  which  he  takes  in  his  hand 
from  time  to  time,  and  as  moreover  the  stakes  are  not  depos- 
ited till  the  handful  of  "cash"  is  placed  on  the  table,  it  is 
hardly  possible  for  the  players  to   be  imposed  upon.     When 


1 88  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

the  bank  pays,  however,  it  gives  three  times  the  amount  of 
the  stake  less  a  discount  of  eight  per  cent,  —  a  commission 
which  in  the  end  must  pay  the  proprietors  very  largely. 

The  foreigners  play  fan-tan  in  a  room  at  the  top  of  the 
house,  while  the  Chinese  (who  are  inveterate  gamblers)  re- 
main down  below.  The  same  fan-tan  table  is  used,  however, 
by  both  parties.  A  basket  is  let  down  by  a  cord  from  the 
foreigners'  room ;  the  money  is  placed  in  the  basket,  with  a 
ticket  indicating  the  number  which  the  player  has  selected, 
and  the  whole  is  then  lowered  to  the  table.  At  the  conclu- 
sion of  a  play,  if  the  foreigner  has  won,  his  gains  are  hoisted 
up  in  the  basket. 

"We  prefer  to  witness  the  game  in  the  lower  room,  and  we 
spend  a  half-hour  with  great  interest  watching  the  Chinamen 
of  all  grades  betting  eagerly  on  every  play.  Several  coolies 
and  common  servants  are  here  risking  dollar  after  dollar  of 
the  only  money  they  own  in  the  world,  —  the  result  of  weeks 
of  saving.  If  they  lose,  having  no  more  with  which  to  play, 
they  quietly  withdraw;  but  if  they  win,  their  good  fortune 
only  incites  them  to  higher  stakes.  Peering  eagerly  into  the 
heap  of  "cash,"  as  each  division  of  four  is  swept  aside, 
they  determine  accurately  the  number  of  the  last  count  long 
before  the  banker  himself  announces  it. 

"VVe  are  standing  near  a  Chinaman,  —  probably  a  messenger 
or  house  servant,  —  who  has  been  playing  steadily  for  many 
minutes.     He  has  lost  continually,  and   has  nearly  arrived  at 


CANTON  TO  BATAVIA.  1 89 

the  end  of  his  resources.  His  money  is  all  gone,  but  he 
places  a  small  silver  watch  in  the  hauds  of  the  banker,  who 
tells  him  it  may  represent  one  silver  dollar.  The  player, 
being  apparently  satisfied  with  this  estimate  of  its  worth,  lays 
it  down  by  the  side  of  the  lead  square  marked  1  and  awaits 
the  result  of  the  count.  Several  other  Chinamen,  thinking 
this  man  must  have  some  good  reason  for  trusting  his  last 
piece  of  property  to  this  number,  follow  his  example  by 
placing  their  bets  by  the  side  of  the  watch.  The  banker 
slowly  sweeps  the  "cash"  from  the  table,  four  at  a  time,  the 
owner  of  the  watch  following  each  movement  of  the  chop- 
sticks with  eyes  almost  starting  out  of  their  sockets.  When 
more  than  half  has  been  counted  off,  an  expression  of  delight 
fills  his  face,  and  when,  soon  after,  one  odd  "cash"  remains  from 
the  lot  and  he  receives  back  his  watch  and  nearly  three  dol- 
lars besides,  he  is  the  picture  of  happiness  and  is  congratu- 
lated loudly  by  the  other  players  on  his  good  fortune.  Soon 
after  this  little  drama  we  return  to  the  hotel. 

October  .'.'/.  —  After  breakfast  this  morning  we  visit  the  large 
garden  now  owned  by  Lourenqo  Marques,  containing  the  grotto 
of  the  poet  Camoes,  where  he  is  said  to  have  composed  some 
of  his  best  known  works.  Following  a  path  which  runs 
through  thick  tropical  vegetation,  we  come  to  a  little  hill,  on 
the  summit  of  which  is  a  grotto  which  overlooks  the  sea.  In 
this  grotto  is  a  busi  of  Camoes  bearing  the  following  inscrip- 
tion:   "  Luix  De  Camoes;    Nasceo  1524,  Morreo  1580."     Out- 


190  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

side  the  grotto  are  several  tablets  with  various  poetical  in- 
scriptions; one  signed  "Bowring,  July  30,  1849,"  being  par- 
ticularly appropriate :  — 

SONNET  TO  MACAO. 

"Gem  of  the  Orient  Earth  and  open  sea, 
Macao  !     That  in  thy  lap  and  on  thy  breast 
Hast  gathered  beauties  all  the  loveliest 
Which  the  sun  smiles  (on)  in  his  majesty ! 

"The  very  clouds  that  top  each  mountain's  crest 
Seem  to  repose  there,  lingering  lovingly. 
How  full  of  grace  the  green  Cathayon  tree 
Bends  to  the  breeze,  and  now  thy  sands  are  prest 

"With  gentlest  waves,  which  ever  and  anon 
Break  their  awakened  furies  on  thy  shore ! 
Were  these  the  scenes  that  poet  looked  upon 
Whose  lyre,  though  known  to  fame,  knew  misery  more? 

"They  have  their  glories,  and  Earth's  diadems 
Have  nought  so  bright  as  genius'  gilded  gems." 

After  dinner  we  visit  the  church  of  Our  Lady  of  Sorrows, 
situated  on  the  top  of  a  hill  overlooking  the  town  and  harbor. 
A  curious  wooden  cross  stands  in  front  of  the  church,  said  to 
have  been  erected  by  a  sea-captain,  who,  being  caught,  many 
years  ago,  in  a  typhoon  off  Macao,  vowed  to  plant  a  cross  in 
front  of  this  church  made  from  the  mainmast  of  his  vessel, 
and  carry  the  mast  up  the  hill  on  his  back,  if  he  was  per- 
mitted to  reach  the  shore  in  safety.  In  the  vestry  of  the 
church  there  is  a  picture  which  shows  the  ship  in  the  storm 
and  distress  which  occasioned  the  vow. 


CAXTOX  TO  BAT  AVI  A.  191 

We  next  visit  the  Protestant  chapel,  where  we  find  a  tablet 
to  the  memory  of  James  B.  Endicott,  a  native  of  Danvers, 
Massachusetts ;  Mr.  Endicott  was  long  well  known  in  Macao, 
and  died  here  in  1870.  In  the  neighboring  graveyard  rests 
Morrison,  the  first  Protestant  missionary  who  ever  came  to 
China,  A  stone  near  by  bears  the  following  inscription:  "In 
memory  of  Lord  John  Henry  Churchill,  son  of  George,  5th 
Duke  of  Marlborough." 

At  sunset  we  make  our  way  round  the  Portuguese  fort  to 
the  high  hill  on  which  stands  the  lighthouse.  At  the  foot  of 
the  hill  we  enjoy  a  refreshing  swim ;  the  water  is  warm  and 
delightful.  From  here  we  scramble  up  to  the  top  of  the  hill 
to  the  lighthouse,  and  are  kindly  shown  over  the  premises  by 
the  Portuguese  in  charge. 

October  2o.  —  We  leave  Macao  at  half  past  seven  this  morn- 
ing in  the  steamer  Po-wan,  and  reach  Hong  Kong  at  noon. 
Hong  Kong  (Island  of  Sweet  Water)  was  seized  by  the  Eng- 
lish in  1842  in  return  for  the  destruction  of  opium  by  the 
Chinese,  and  for  various  insults  to  British  residents  at  Can- 
ton. Hong  Kong  is  built  on  an  island,  and  the  town  is 
planted  at  the  base  and  on  the  side  of  the  precipitous  Victoria 
Peak,  wliirh  vises  perpendicularly  for  eighteen  hundred  feet. 
It  is  said  that  one  can  drop  a  stone  from  the  summit  into  the. 
main  street  of  the  town  below.  The  population  of  Hong  Kong 
is  made  up  of  different  nationalities,  and  varies  so  continually 
that  it  is  impossible  to  state  it  exactly.     In  round  numbers,  it 


192  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

is  about  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  thousand.  The  foreigners 
number  about  three  thousand  five  hundred;  the  rest  of  the 
population  consist  of  Chinese,  Portuguese,  and  Parsees.  The 
harbor  is  large  and  convenient,  and  is  full  of  steamers  and 
sailing-vessels  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  The  warehouses 
of  the  merchants  are  commodious  and  well  built;  the  private 
residences  and  villas,  nestling  in  different  parts  of  the  hill, 
form  agreeable  retreats  after  the  toil  of  the  day;  to  the  left, 
a  densely  populated  Chinese  quarter  recalls  to  your  mind  that 
you  are  still  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  Celestial  Empire. 
Over  the  post-office,  in  the  centre  of  Hong  Kong,  are  these 
words :  "  As  cold  waters  to  a  thirsty  soul,  so  is  good  news 
from  a  far  country." 

October  27. — Except  the  ever-pleasant  society  of  the  foreign 
residents,  there  is  very  little  in  Hong  Kong  of  special  inter- 
est to  the  traveller.  When  he  has  climbed  Victoria  Peak, 
and  visited  the  Happy  Valley  and  the  Public  Gardens,  he 
may  continue  on  his  way.  We  planned  to  start  for  Manilla 
at  once,  but  a  typhoon  is  raging  on  the  neighboring  waters, 
and  furious  wind  and  constant  rain  indicate  to  us  its  resist- 
less power.  The  departure  of  the  Manilla  steamer  is  there- 
fore postponed,  and  the  thick  weather  obliges  us  to  remain 
in-doors. 

October  2S.: — Heavy  rain  continues  without  cessation.  We 
dine  in  the  evening  with  Mr.  W.  Seymour  Geary,  of  Oly- 
phant  &  Co.,  whose  house  is  finely  situated  on  the  hill. 


CANTON  TO  B ATA  VIA.  1 93 

October  SO.  —  The  rain  continues.  We  are  very  glad  to 
meet  one  of  our  fellow-passengers  of  the  Great  Bejntblic,  who 
is  a  merchant  here  in  Hong  Kong.  Thanks  to  his  kindness, 
we  have  enjoyed  for  several  days  the  hospitality  of  the  new 
club-house,  a  fine  structure  in  the  Gothic  style.  We  hear 
also  of  the  three  United  States  army  officers  who  crossed  the 
Pacific  with  us.     They  are  expected  here  in  about  ten  days. 

On  account  of  the  rain  and  wind,  the  Manilla  steamer  is 
again  delayed !  If  we  wait  longer  we  may  be  obliged  to 
omit  some  portion  of  our  proposed  Indian  travel;  so  we  de- 
cide to  continue  our  way  to  Singapore,  and  proceed  from 
there  to  Java.  The  regular  mail-boat  of  the  Peninsular  and 
Oriental  Steamship  Company  has  just  left  Hong  Kong.  An- 
other will  not  start  for  a  week;  we  take  passage,  therefore, 
on  the  steamer  Ahbotsford,  bound  for  Singapore  direct,  and 
at  5  P.  M.  we  move  slowly  out  of  the  harbor  of  Hong  Kong, 
with  a  voyage  of  fourteen  hundred  miles  before  us.* 


*  I  take  this  opportunity  to  thank  the  American  Consul,  D.  Bailey,  Esq., 
for  his  many  kindnesses,  official  and  personal.  I  have  something  to  say  here 
in  regard  to  \\\<-  <  •.  it  O.  S.  S.  Co.  Having  collected  various  Japanese  and  Chi- 
nese curiosities,  I  desired  to  have  them  reach  my  friends  in  Boston  by  Christ- 
mas. I  therefore  decided  to  send  them  by  steamer  to  San  Francisco,  and 
have  tlirin  forwarded  across  the  continent  by  rail.  This  method  is,  of  course, 
tax  more  expensive  than  carriage  on  a  sailing-vessel,  but,  as  1  have  said,  I  wished 
the  articles  to  reach  my  friends  at  Christmas-time.  The  agenl  of  the  0.  <v  0. 
S.  8.  Co.  assured  me  that  the  boxes  would  not  be  "/huh/  in  San  Francisco  (as 
they  were  accompanied  by  a  full  consular  certificate),  hut  would  be  forwarded 
promptly  in  bond  to  Boston.     Believing  him  to  lie  reliable,  I  left  tie-  articles 


194  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

October  31.  —  The  sea  is  very  rough,  and  we  pitch  and  roll 
from  morning  till  night,  to  the  decided  injury  of  the  crockery 
and  to  the  great  annoyance  of  everybody.  Captain  Patterson, 
a  thorough  Scotchman,  pays  us  the  most  continual  and  thought- 
ful attention,  and  the  different  officers  of  the  ship  exert  them- 
selves in  many  ways  to  make  our  voyage  pass  pleasantly. 

November  5. — We  are  now  within  three  hundred  miles  of 
Singapore.  The  sea  is  calm  and  still,  the  sky  is  clear,  and 
the  sun  is  uncomfortably  warm.  We  are  well  into  the 
tropics  ! 

November  G.  —  At  two  o'clock  this  morning  a  fierce  squall 
sweeps  over  us.  Dark  clouds  suddenly  cover  the  bright  moon 
and  clear  sky.  For  an  hour  and  a  half  our  steamer  struggles 
on  against  a  fierce  wind  and  heavy  sea.  The  first  officer  is 
on  the  watch,  and  I  come  on  deck  and  go  up  with  him  on 
to  the  bridge.  Lightning  flashes  around  us,  the  thunder 
rumbles,  and  at  last  a  heavy  rain  falls.  Soon  the  moon 
shines  clearly  forth  again,  the  clouds  roll  aside,  —  the  storm 
has  washed  itself  away. 

At  1  p.  M.  we  pass  the  lighthouse  which  marks  the  en- 
trance   to    Singapore  Straits,  and   our   course    is    immediately 

in  his  hands.  The  result  was  as  follows  :  On  their  arrival  at  San  Francisco, 
the  boxes  were  opened,  thoroughly  overhauled,  and  laid  aside.  In  response  to 
frequent  letters  from  my  friends  in  Boston  (whom  I  Lad  notified),  they  were 
finally  Btarted  along.  They  reached  Boston  January  22d  !  As  an  example  of 
our  present  tariff,  I  will  mention  that  my  curiosities  were  valued  at  $250; 
the  government  exacted  a  duty  of  §100.50. 


CAXTON   TO  BAT  AVI  A.  1 95 

altered  to  the  westward.  At  five  o'clock  we  can  see  in  the 
distance  the  large  warehouses  that  front  the  harbor  of  Singa- 
pore. On  our  right  hand  are  thick  groves  of  cocoa-nut  trees, 
surrounded  by  tropical  vegetation  that  seems  to  shut  out  the 
very  light  itself.  At  six  o'clock  we  reach  our  wharf,  and 
long  before  the  vessel  is  made  fast  it  is  surrounded  by  light 
canoes,  paddled  by  small  Malay  boys  who  dart  hither  and 
thither,  calling  out  to  us  in  broken  English  to  toss  them 
small  coins,  for  which  they  promise  to  dive.  And  dive  they 
do!  Hardly  can  a  coin  touch  the  water  —  thrown  purposely 
a  long  distance  from  the  canoes  —  before  three  or  four  have 
dropped  from  their  boats,  eager  to  seize  the  money  before  it 
sinks  to  the  bottom.  One  even  brought  up  a  cent  from  the 
very  bottom,  which  we  had  tossed  in  an  unexpected  direction. 
November  7.  —  Singapore,  the  capital  of  the  Straits  settle- 
ments, is  situated  one  degree  north  of  the  equator.  It  was 
founded  in  1819,  and  transferred  by  the  Indian  government 
to  the  Crown  in  1867.  The  population  is  about  one  hun- 
dred thousand,  of  whom  eight  hundred  are  English,  Americans, 
and  Europeans.  Singapore  is  on  one  of  the  great  highways 
of  the  world.  Steamers  from  all  directions  touch  here  con- 
stantly, and  it  is  a  regular  stopping-place  for  the  mail-boats 
of  the  Feninsular  and  Oriental,  and  Messageries  Maritimes 
Companies.  Singapore  contains  representatives  of  nearly  every 
race  of  men  on  the  globe.  Here  one  may  see,  besides 
English,  Americans,  Germans,   and   French,   Chinese,   Malays, 


196  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


Persians,  Arabians,  Jews,  Turks,  and  Indians.  The  business 
part  of  the  town  contains  many  fine  buildings,  and  the  large 
and  comfortable  dwellings  of  the  merchants  are  pleasantly 
situated  in  the  suburbs.  The  town  possesses  a  large  Episcopal 
church,  several  massive  government  buildings,  and  a  spacious 
residence  occupied  by  the  governor.  A  strong  fort  over- 
looks the  harbor.  There  are  many  beautiful  gardens,  and  ex- 
cellent roads  in  the  vicinity,  while  an  unchanging  and  agree- 
able climate,  luxurious  tropical  vegetation,  and  a  profusion  of 
delicious  fruit  combine  to  render  Singapore  a  most  enjoya- 
ble residence  for  man. 

We  visit  the  English  church  —  it  is  called  a  cathedral  — 
in  the  morning.  In  the  afternoon  we  walk  out  to  the  Bo- 
tanical Gardens,  situated  about  three  miles  from  the  centre 
of  the  town.  These  gardens  contain  tropical  plants  of  various 
kinds,  a  menagerie  of  deer,  monkeys,  bears,  and  other  animals, 
and  an  extensive  aviary.* 

November  9.  —  We  are  kindly  introduced  at  the  English 
club.  In  the  evening  we  dine  with  the  partners  of  Gilfillan, 
"Wood,  &  Co.,  at  their  pleasant  house  in  the  suburbs. 

November  10.  —  We  receive  permission  from  Mr.  Whampoa, 
an  influential  Chinese  merchant,  to  visit  his  large  and  curious 


*  Wo  have  had  a  narrow  escape.  The  "  P.  &  0."  mail  steamer  which  we 
just  missed  at  Hong  Kong  readied  Singapore  after  a  dangerous  passage  in  a 
typhoon.  The  steamer  for  Java  which  connected  with  it  is  just  reported 
lost. 


CANTON  TO  BATAVIA.  197 

gardens,  situated  about  two  miles  from  the  city.  Mr.  Wham- 
poa  is  a  mau  of  importance  iu  Singapore,  being  even  a 
member  of  the  Legislative  Council.  His  gardens  are  laid 
out  in  strict  Chinese  style,  but  they  contain  many  trees  and 
plants  well  worth  seeing.  Here  is  the  traveller's  palm, 
which,  being  tapped,  yields  very  drinkable  water.  Here  too 
are  banana  and  lemon  trees ;  tea,  coffee,  aloe,  and  pineapple 
plants  ;   pummelo  and  cocoa-nut  trees,  and  many  others. 

In  the  evening  we  dine  with  the  firm  of  Boustead  &  Co. 

November  11.  —  At  10  p.  m.  we  go  on  board  the  Dutch 
steamer  Banda,  which  is  advertised  to  start  for  Batavia  at 
daybreak  to-morrow. 

November  12.  —  The  sea  is  very  smooth  ;  the  atmosphere, 
though  very  warm,  is  not  oppressive  ;  but  a  sort  of  tropical 
languor  compels  us  to  sit  idly,  watching  the  thickly  wooded 
shore  of  the  island  of  Sumatra,  which  seems  to  be  ever  glid- 
ing away. 

It  is  6  p.  m.  We  are  crossing  the  equator.  Our  captain 
tells  us  we  are  now  upon  it.  I  gaze  over  the  ship's  side  in 
;i  \;iin  endeavor  to  discover  that  black  line  which  seemed 
such  an  absolute  reality  in  the  school-days  of  my  earliest 
youth. 

November  hi. — The  boats  of  the  Netherlands  India  Steam- 
ship  Company  arc  decidedly  uncomfortable.  The  state-rooms 
are  small  and  stuffy,  the  h^A  is  rarely  varied  and  is  always 
carelessly  prepared  and  uninviting.      Each  captain  is  allowed 


198  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

a  certain  sum  with  which  to  provision  his  boat,  and  either 
the  sum  is  far  too  small,  or  a  boat's  menu  is  diminished  in 
direct  ratio  to  the  amount  an  economizing  captain  reserves 
from  the  money  advanced.  Besides  this,  a  corps  of  absolutely 
untrained  and  stupid  Malay  boys  attempt  to  wait  on  the 
passengers,  but  only  get  in  everybody's  way.  I  hear  that 
some  French  steamers  are  soon  to  be  put  on  the  line  be- 
tween Singapore  and  Batavia.  For  the  public's  sake  I  hope 
they  will  appear  speedily. 

November  14-  —  At  noon  to-day  we  come  to  anchor  off 
Java,  and  soon  a  small  steamer  comes  alongside  to  take  us 
up  the  narrow  canal  -which  is  the  only  approach  to  Batavia 
from  the  harbor.  The  Bancla  is  anchored  two  miles  from 
the  town ;  and  although  we  have  bought  tickets  for  Batavia, 
(which  we  supposed  would  carry  us  there),  we  are  obliged  to 
pay  another  fare  to  the  small  steamer,  unless  we  wish  to  re- 
main at  a  long  distance  from  land.  This  is  an  outrage ;  and 
although  I  heard  several  protesting  against  it,  yet  the  nui- 
sance has  been  suffered  to  continue  so  long,  that  no  one  is 
willing  to  be  the  first  to  challenge  it. 

We  are  landed  at  the  custom-house.  Passing  through,  we 
find  a  score  of  small  barouches  in  waiting,  drawn  by  small 
but  powerful  ponies.  We  are  driven  through  broad  streets, 
past  spacious  residences  and  warehouses.  Horse-cars  rumble 
along  by  our  side.  A  canal  —  the  delight  of  the  Dutch  — 
runs  parallel  with   the    principal    street,  in  which  multitudes 


CANTON  TO  BAT  AVI  A.  1 99 


of  Malays  are  bathing,  or  conducting  a  general  laundrying 
establishment.  Large  numbers  of  handsome  equipages  are 
going  in  various  directions,  driven  by  Malay  coachmen  in 
stylish  liveries,  topped  by  curious  gayly  painted  tin  hats. 
Behind  the  vehicles  two  footmen  stand,  dressed  in  the  same 
costume  as  the  drivers ;  and  as  the  turnouts  rattle  by  at  the 
tremendous  speed  for  which  the  place  is  noted,  the  whole 
effect  is  very  striking.  Groves  of  cocoa-nut  trees  are  scat- 
tered here  and  there  throughout  the  city,  and  bread-fruit 
and  other  tropical  productions  grow  in  every  other  garden- 
plot.  The  Malays  are  a  very  healthy-looking  race,  and  very 
few  beggars  are  to  be  seen  in  the  streets. 

At  six  o'clock  we  walk  to  the  parade-ground  to  hear  the 
military  band.  We  are  surprised  to  find  a  large  concourse 
of  foreigners  in  carriages  or  on  horseback,  the  ladies  in  ele- 
gant toilets,  and  nearly  everybody  without  hat  or  head-cover- 
ing of  any  sort,  —  for  the  sun  always  sets  at  six  o'clock,  and 
the  city  is  then  cool  and  delightful.  On  the  parade-ground  is 
a  monument  erected  in  memory  of  the  battle  of  Waterloo, — 
a  bronze  lion  on  a  high  pedestal.  The  music  is  excellent, 
and  we  can  hardly  realize  —  with  all  the  fashion  and  civili- 
zation that  surrounds  us,  and  with  the  strains  of  the  "Blue 
Danube"  in  our  ears  —  that  we  are  on  an  island  below  the 
equator,  far  away  from  the  chief  habitations  of  men. 


200  DOTTING S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

JAVA  TO   CEYLON. 

BATAVIA.  —  BUITENZORG.  —  An   INLAND   TRIP.  —  EMBARKATION   FOR    CEYLON. 

—  Arrival  at  Point  De  Galle. 

November  15.  —  The  population  of  Batavia  is  about  one 
hundred  thousand.  It  possesses,  besides  its  many  private  resi- 
dences and  warehouses,  an  opera-house,  several  very  ordinary 
hotels,  a  fine  museum,  and  a  handsome  residence  occupied  by 
the  governor-general.  The  climate  is  hotter  than  our  very 
warmest  summer  day,  and  no  one  walks  out  in  the  middle  of 
the  day,  for  the  sun  has  a  very  dangerous  power.  Many  sorts 
of  fruits  can  be  obtained,  and  all  may  be  eaten  with  safety, 
except  the  pineapple,  which,  in  Java,  is  exceedingly  hurtful. 

We  present  a  letter  of  introduction,  this  morning,  to  Diim- 
meller  &  Co.  As  there  is  very  little  of  interest  in  Batavia 
itself,  we  plan  to  start  for  the  interior  of  the  island  on  the 
moiTow.  Messrs.  Bummeller  &  Co.  give  us  much  informa- 
tion in  regard  to  our  proposed  inland  journey,  and,  after  some 
further  conversation,  we  call  at  the  adjoining  office  of  the 
American  Consul,  P.  Nickerson,  Esq.,  of  Boston.  As  we  enter 
the  consulate,  we  remark  the  absence  of  the  American  flag. 
Mr.  Nickerson  tells  us  that,  at  the  special  request  of  the  Dutch 


JAVA    TO   CEYLON.  201 


government,  no  foreign  flag  is  displayed  by  the  different  con- 
suls ;  for  the  Dutch  wish  the  natives  to  continue  to  believe 
that  the  Dutch  flag  alone  is  the  emblem  of  power  throughout 
tb.3  world. 

In  the  afternoon  we  visit  the  large  museum,  where  may  be 
seen  a  collection  of  ancient  Javanese  gods,  weapons,  agricultu- 
ral utensils,  and  so  forth.  In  the  evening  we  go  to  the  opera. 
It  is  the  opening  night  of  a  French  company  which  has  re- 
cently arrived.  The  theatre  is  not  large,  but  is  excellently 
ventilated  and  well-lighted.  The  orchestra  is  satisfactory,  and 
the  scenery  is  passable.  Many  ladies  are  present  in  full 
evening  dress.  A  black  frock  or  cut-away  coat  seems  to  be 
considered  sufficient  by  the  gentlemen,  and  our  swallow-tails 
are  therefore  somewhat  conspicuous.  The  ladies  are  not  re- 
markable for  beauty,  but  the  majority  are  ablaze  with  jewels, 
and  their  toilets  are  as  elaborate  as  one  could  find  in  any  cap- 
ital of  the  world. 

The  programme  bears  the  following  notice :  "  Avcc  la  per- 
mission de  M.  le  Resident."  The  first  piece  performed  is  "Le 
Chalet";  this  is  followed  by  the  excellent  little  opera  "Les 
Nbces  de  Jeannette." 

November  10. —  A  railroad  connects  Batavia  with  Buiten- 
zoig,  distant  thirty-seven  miles.  We  leave  Batavia  at  half 
past  seven  and  reach  our  destination  at  ten  o'clock.  Buiten- 
zorg,  besides  being  itself  a  place  of  remarkable  beauty,  is  the 
usual   starting-point   for   Sing-dang-laya  and  the  high   moun- 


202  DOTTIXGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

tains  near  by.  The  Hotel  Bellevue  at  Buitenzorg  is  built  on 
the  summit  of  a  hill,  and,  standing  on  the  back  piazza,  the 
visitor  sees  before  him  one  of  the  most  beautiful  views  that 
the  island  affords.  At  the  foot  of  the  hill  a  winding  river 
flows  between  tall  groves  of  cocoa-nut  trees,  and  through  the 
very  thickest  tropical  foliage;  a  cloud-topped  mountain  rises 
boldly  in  the  distance.  On  its  summit  are  found  the  curious 
bird's-nests  which  are  so  largely  exported  for  food. 

In  the  afternoon  we  visit  the  extensive  gardens  of  the  gov- 
ernor-general. These  gardens  contain  a  large  assortment  of 
tropical  plants,  a  pretty  lake,  and  broad  lawns  on  which  sev- 
eral hundred  spotted  deer  wander  about.  Here  is  the  deadly 
upas,  and  a  large  specimen  of  the  rubber-tree.  The  gov- 
ernor's residence  is  a  spacious  white  stone  building  with  two 
wide  Mings  running  out  from  the  central  portion.  Several 
paths  are  for  the  use  of  the  governor  alone,  and  conspicuous 
signs  in  Dutch  command  the  visitor  not  to  enter  them.  The 
palace  and  grounds  are  guarded  by  a  garrison  of  Dutch  soldiers, 
and  as  we  walk  along  we  meet  that  saddest  of  all  proces- 
sions,—  a  military  funeral.  To  the  soldier,  in  time  of  peace, 
death  in  this  distant  spot  must  be  hard  indeed! 

November  17. —  We  rise  at  five,  and  soon  are  rattling  over 
an  excellent  road  in  little  carriages  drawn  by  three  ponies, 
bound  for  Sing-dang-laya.  After  travelling  for  about  an  hour 
through  a  well-cultivated  country,  we  stop  for  breakfast  at  a 
small  town  called  Gadok.     Although  the  hotel  is  full  of  guests, 


JAY  A    TO   CEYLOX.  203 

no  proprietor  can  be  found.  The  united  efforts  of  our  party 
in  English,  French,  Italian,  and  German  fail  to  obtain  any 
response  from  the  different  people  about  the  house,  and,  as 
we  do  not  talk  Dutch,  we  are  almost  in  despair,  when  at  last 
a  young  man  appears  who  speaks  English.  This  gentleman 
calls  a  native  who  seems  to  be  manager-in-chief  of  the  estab- 
lishment, and  we  are  soon  properly  served.  After  breakfast 
we  continue  our  way.  The  road  runs  for  miles  through  exten- 
sive coffee  plantations.  At  eleven  o'clock  we  stop  for  tiffin 
at  a  native  inn  kept  by  an  old  Malay  woman  called  Ma-mina. 
Many  travellers  stop  here  in  the  course  of  a  year,  and  the  old 
woman  cooks  remarkably  well  after  the  Dutch  style.  Native 
and  foreign  officials,  going  to  the  interior  or  coming  back  to 
Batavia,  halt  for  an  hour  at  this  inn.  The  dinner-table  is  com- 
pletely covered  with  names  and  initials,  and  it  is  evidently 
the  custom  of  travellers  to  leave  these  "  footprints  on  the  sands 
of  time,"  in  order  that  succeeding  patrons,  "seeing,  may  take 
heart  again,"  when  almost  despairing  over  the  long  delay  of 
the  meal. 

As  we  are  about  to  leave,  having  finished  tiffin,  a  native 
official,  with  gold-lace  on  uniform  and  hat,  drives  up.  Having 
greeted  us  courteously  in  his  own  language,  he  calls  for  a 
glass  of  water.  The  servant  who  brings  it  to  him  stops  with 
the  tray  at  some  distance  off,  and  hands  the  water  respectfully, 
bending  his  body  almost  to  the  ground  with  the  most  remark- 
able gesture  of  deference  I  have  ever  seen,  as  if  a  nearer  ap- 
proach would  defile  the  magnate. 


204  DOTTINGS  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

Leaving  the  inn  we  drive  on  for  about  a  mile  and  stop  at 
a  little  path  which  strikes  through  thick  woods,  and,  having 
left  the  carriages,  we  follow  a  guide  up  the  mountain-path, 
passing  through  the  very  ideal  of  a  tropical  forest.  The  foliage 
is  so  luxuriant  that  it  seems  superabundant;  the  ferns  and 
grasses  astonish  us ;  and  beautiful  vines  and  masses  of  exquis- 
ite creepers,  winding  around  the  rich  trees,  bear  witness  to 
nature's  productive  power  when  unchecked  by  cold  and  frost. 
This  fertility,  however,  is  not  confined  to  the  vegetable  world. 
Animal  life  keeps  pace  with  it.  Deadly  snakes,  small  creep- 
ing reptiles,  and  poisonous  insects  lurk  in  the  depths  of  the 
most  beautiful  plants;  and  man,  dwelling  in  this  lovely  spot, 
finds  himself  opposed  by  multitudes  of  enemies  which  the 
very  luxuriance  of  the  favored  latitude  has  brought  forth. 

After  a  half-hour's  walk  we  emerge  on  to  the  bank  of  a 
small  lake  which  covers  the  crater  of  an  old  volcano,  extinct 
for  the  past  eighty  years.  The  lake  is  called  Te  Laga  Varna. 
A  wall  of  exquisite  foliage,  three  hundred  feet  high,  rises 
from  its  opposite  shore. 

Having  returned  to  the  carriages,  we  proceed  for  about  six 
miles,  and  stop  at  two  o'clock  at  a  little  hotel  near  Sing- 
dang-laya,  where  we  intend  to  spend  the  night,  in  order  to 
meet  and  talk  with  Mr.  Carlo  Ferrari,  a  great  sportsman,  who 
has  lived  in  Java  for  many  years.  We  are  sorry  to  hear 
In  an  Mr.  Ferrari  that  we  have  come  to  Java  in  a  very  poor 
season  for  good  spurt ;   but  he  kindly  offers  to  accompany  us 


JAVA    TO   CEYLOX.  205 

for  a  few  days  if  we  wish  to  make  an  expedition  in  search 
of  a  tiger. 

About  11  p.  M.  a  party  of  native  dancers  come  to  the 
hotel  and  perform  to  an  interested  audience.  Three  men, 
sitting  cross-legged  on  the  ground,  furnish  the  music,  which 
consists  of  a  drum,  a  fife,  and  a  pair  of  peculiar  cymbals. 
A  large  torch  is  stuck  in  the  ground,  and  the  dancers,  men 
and  women,  —  the  latter  very  strikingly  dressed  in  many- 
colored  native  cloths,  —  circle  round  and  round  the  light  to 
the  sound  of  the  music,  gliding  towards  each  other,  meeting, 
bowing  low,  swaying  from  side  to  side,  and  finally  separating 
entirely,  all  the  time  chanting  a  peculiar  refrain,  which  is 
even  heard  above  the  shrill  and  discordant  sounds  of  the  in- 
struments. 

Java,  as  I  have  said,  abounds  in  deadly  insects  and  rep- 
tiles. Besides  the  centipedes  and  scorpions,  which  are  very 
numerous,  there  is  a  very  dangerous  worm,  long  and  thin 
like  a  horsehair,  which  crawls  into  men's  ears  from  pillows 
and  elsewhere,  and  produces  deafness  and  often  death  by 
its  sting.  If  the  worm  can  be  extracted  from  the  ear,  no 
ierious  danger  need  be  anticipated.  If  it  has  penetrated  too 
far,  however,  the  victim  lingers  for  days  in  great  pain,  till 
(bath  enda  his  sufferings.  Large  tarantulas  are  frequently 
found  suspended  over  a  bed,  and  there  is  a  species  of  wasp 
whose  Bting  onuses  excessive  inflammation. 

To  a  traveller  making  a  tour  into  the  interior  of  .lava,  the 


206 


DOTTINGS  ROUXD   THE   CIRCLE. 


following  Malay  words  will  be  useful.      They  are,  of   course, 
spelled  phonetically  :  — 


Fork 
Knife    . 
Spoon 
Napkin . 
Water 
Plate     . 
Bread 
Eice 

TVrcr 

Sugar    . 
Milk. 


Garfu. 

Picho. 

Tsenoch. 

Tserbatr. 

Ire. 

Peering. 

Eoti. 

Kasci. 

Tulor. 

Gular. 

Susu. 


November  IS.  —  Two  of  our  party,  Mr.  IT.  of  New  York, 
and  our  English  companion,  decide  to  accompany  Mr.  Ferrari 
on  a  tiger  hunt.  The  prospect  of  sport,  however,  is  so  doubt- 
ful and  the  probability   of  discomfort   so   unquestioned,   that 

F and   I   decline    to    accompany    the    others.      As    the 

hotel  at  Buitenzorg  is  far  more  comfortable  than  our  present 
habitation,  and  as  Mr.  Ferrari  assures  us  that  we  have  al- 
ready observed  the  characteristic  scenery  of  the  island,  we  do 

not  wish  to  travel  farther  inland.     F ,  however,  is  anxious 

to  ascend  a  neighboring  mountain,  and  promises  to  follow  me 
to  Buitenzorg  on  the  morrow.  Bidding  farewell,  therefore,  to 
the  two  who  are  to  remain  in  the  island,  I  set  out  for 
Buitenzorg,  which  I  reach  at  noon. 

November  10.  —  F arrives  from  Sing-dang-laya  at  7  P.  M., 


JAVA    TO   CEYLON.  207 

and  we  make  preparations  to  return  to  Batavia  early  to-mor- 
row morning. 

November  20. — We  reach  Batavia  at  ten  o'clock  this  morn- 
ing. Our  steamer  starts  at  8  a.  m.  to-morrow.  The  day  is 
very  warm,  and  after  arranging  for  our  departure,  we  keep  in- 
doors till  the  cool  of  the  evening  renders  walking  agreeable. 

November  21. —  At  half  past  seven  we  go  on  board  the 
steamer  Amboina*  bound  for  Singapore,  and  think  with  dis- 
may of  the  three  days  that  we  shall  be  obliged  to  pass  in 
the  hands  of  the  Netherlands  Steamship  Company.  The 
Amboina  is  fully  as  uncomfortable  as  the  Banda,  and  the 
food  is  even  less  varied  and  more  disagreeable. 

November  22.  —  We  arrive  back  at  Singapore  at  6  p.  m., 
after  a  smooth  passage  from  Java. 

November  22h  —  I  have  a  long  talk  with  Major  Studer, 
American  Consul.  It  is  the  same  old  story.  His  salary  is 
hardly  sufficient  to  allow  him  to  live  like  a  gentleman.  The 
consulate  of  the  United  States  of  America  consists  of  two 
Bmall   rooms  in  a  hotel  ! 

November  2<L — At  10  a.  m.  we  embark  on  the  fine  steamer 
Tigre  of  the  Messageries  Maritimes  Company.  About  forty- 
five  passengers  of  different  nationalities  are  on  board.  We 
start  at   noon  on  our  voyage  of   fourteen    hundred    miles,  for 

As  we  were  in  Batavia  only  foi  a  few  hours  on  our  return  from  the  in- 
terior, we  were  unable  to  bid  farewell  to  Messrs.  Diiinmeller  &  Co.,  and  to 
the  American  Consul. 


208  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


and  I  intend  to  leave  the  ship  (which   is   bound   for 


Marseilles)  at  Point  De  Galle,  to  visit  some  of  the  chief 
points  of  interest  in  Ceylon. 

November  28. — At  5  p.  m.  we  pass  Acheen  Head,  a  prom- 
ontory which  marks  the  limits  of  the  Straits  of  Malacca, 
now  the  scene  of  a  war  between  the  natives  and  the  Dutch, 
and  soon  after  our  ship  is  rolling  from  side  to  side  under 
the  influence  of  the  long  swell  of  the  Indian  Ocean.  The 
Tigre  makes  an  average  day's  run  of  three  hundred  miles, 
and  we  expect  to  reach  Ceylon  December  1. 

November  30.  —  A  grand  concert,  vocal  and  instrumental, 
was  given  by  several  of  the  passengers  this  evening,  in  aid 
of  a  poor  Scotch  widow  who  is  travelling  home  with  two 
children,  whose  entire  capital  consists  of  two  pounds  sterling. 
Selections  from  a  few  well-known  operas  were  pleasingly 
rendered,  after  which  a  magic-lantern  amused  the  company 
for  a  while,  and  at  the  end  of  the  evening  a  collection  was 
taken  up,  which  amounted  to  somewhat  over  twenty  pounds, 
— a  very  god-send  to  its  recipient.  The  officers  deserve  great 
credit  for  their  kind  efforts,  and  the  performers  may  well  feel 
that  they  have  done  a  good  action. 

December  1.  —  At  eleven  o'clock  this  morning  we  come  in 
sight  of  the  coast  of  Ceylon,  which  stretches  far  away  to  the 
right.  Thick  groves  of  cocoa-nut  trees  cover  the  shore  for 
miles,  and  the  luxuriant  foliage  of  the  land  closely  resembles 
Sumatra   and   Java.      At    4.30   p.  M.   we  can  plainly  see,   far 


JAVA    TO   CEYLOX.  20g 

ahead,  the  shipping  in  the  harbor  of  Point  De  Galle,  and  soon 
after,  having  obtained  a  pilot,  we  drop  anchor  off  the  town, 
just  as  the  guns  from  the  English  fort  announce  the  arrival 
of  the  Prince  of  Wales  at  Colombo,  a  town  seventy  miles  to 
the  north.  As  the  steamer  rounds  the  green  promontory  which 
marks  the  entrance  to  the  harbor  of  Point  De  Galle,  a  most 
beautiful  picture  presents  itself.  On  the  right,  groves  of  cocoa- 
nut  trees,  surrounded  with  thick  foliage,  afford  refreshing  shade 
to  a  little  cluster  of  native  huts,  which,  with  their  thatched 
roofs,  look  tropical  and  primitive.  On  the  left,  a  tall  light- 
house rises  boldly  from  a  high  ledge  of  rocks  over  which  the 
sea  tumbles  and  breaks,  leaping  upwards  every  little  while  in 
high  clouds  of  spray.  In  front  lies  the  town,  running  from 
the  sea-shore  to  the  summit  of  a  hill,  and  sheltered  completely 
behind  the  guns  of  the  English  fort,  which  cover  every  ap- 
proach to  the  harbor.  In  the  distance  is  Adam's  Peak,  which 
rises  to  a  height  of  seven  thousand  four  hundred  feet. 

The  native  inhabitants  of  Ceylon  are  Singhalese  and  Tamils. 
Afl  -""ii  as  a  steamer  comes  to  anchor  it  is  surrounded  by 
multitudes  of  long,  narrow  boats  called  catamarans,  each  with 
two  huge  outriggers,  to  which  is  attached  a  thick  log,  which 
moves  along  near  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  steadies  the 
whole  craft  Indeed,  these  canoes  are  so  narrow  that,  with- 
out this  balancing-log,  it  would  be  impossible  to  navigate 
them. 


210  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

CEYLON. 

Point  De  Galle.  —  Colombo.  —  Kandy.  —The  Royal  Apartments  on  the 
Serapis.  —  The  Preparation  of  the  Coffee-Berry.  —  The  Prince  of 
AY  ales. 

December  £.—  Point  De  Galle  — so  called  by  the  Portu- 
guese when  they  had  possession  of  the  island — contains  a 
population  of  about  seven  thousand.  Besides  the  beautiful 
scenery  in  the  vicinity,  there  is  very  little  of  interest  to  the 
traveller.  "We  wish,  therefore,  to  press  on  to  Colombo,  but,  on 
account  of  the  unexpected  arrival  of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  it 
is  impossible  to  obtain  places  in  the  regular  stage  which  runs 
between  the  two  towns.  The  Prince  and  suite  have  changed 
their  route,  owing  to  reports  of  cholera  from  the  southern  coast 
of  India,  which  they  had  planned  to  visit  before  coming  to 
Ceylon.  The  steamer  Socotra,  of  the  British  India  Steamship 
Company,  is  fortunately  in  the  harbor,  bound  for  Bombay  via 
Colombo,  and  we  promptly  engage  passage  for  the  latter  place. 
As  the  boat  will  not  start  till  5  p.  m.,  we  have  the  day  to  look 
about  us. 

Soon  after  breakfast  we  take  a  carriage,  and  drive  for  an 
hour   over   a   fine   road  running  through   groves   of  cocoa-nut 


CEYLOX.  211 

and  palm-trees,  with  beautiful  ferns  and  flowers  on  all  sides. 
On  our  way  back  we  stop  at  the  foot  of  a  hill  on  whose  sum- 
mit stands  a  large  Catholic  church.  As  we  are  walking  up 
the  hill  on  our  way  to  the  church,  we  pass  a  small  school- 
house  in  which  about  fifty  Singhalese  boys  are  studying  Eng- 
lish and  the  usual  elementary  branches  under  the  care  of  a 
benevolent-looking  old  gentleman,  himself  of  Singhalese  de- 
scent. As  we  pause  a  moment  at  the  door,  the  old  gentleman 
comes  out  and  invites  us  politely  to  step  in  and  witness  a  reci- 
tation,—  an  offer  which  we  gladly  accept.  The  class  is  en- 
gaged in  a  reading-lesson,  and  the  old  master,  placing  us 
behind  his  desk,  —  on  which  lies  a  pliant  rattan,  —  hands  us 
the  book,  —  the  Third  Eeader,  —  and  opening  at  the  well- 
known  story  of  Solon  and  Croesus,  calls  on  the  head  boy  to 
begin.  The  Singhalese  boys  read  very  correctly  and  intelli- 
gently, and  at  the  conclusion  of  the  exercise  the  master  exam- 
ines them  on  the  subject-matter  of  the  lesson.  Although 
several  of  his  questions  touch  on  broad  principles  of  ethics, 
the  boys  Bhow  excellent  appreciation  of  the  text,  one  bright 
little  fellow  doing  uncommonly  well.  Soon  after  this  we  take 
our  leave,  and  having  visited  the  new  church,  we  return  to 
the  hotel.  About  five  o'clock  we  go  on  board  the  Socotra, 
which  -tails  immediately  for  Colombo. 

Decern  hi  r  3.  —  At  five  o'clock  this  morning  we  come  in 
sight  of  Colombo,  and  at  seven  o'clock  we  anchor  off  the 
town,  within  a  stone's  throw  of  the  steamer  Serapis,  which  is 


212  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

carrying  the  Prince  of  Wales  on  his  travels.  The  Scrapis 
and  the  companion  steam-yacht  Osborne  lie  inside  of  a  half- 
circle  of  English  gun-boats  which  attend  them,  —  the  Un- 
daunted, Raleigh,  Narcissus,  Immortalitc,  and  Newcastle. 

We  call  a  native  boat  and  are  rowed  quickly  ashore.  On 
landing  at  the  jetty  we  find  it  completely  decorated  in  honor 
of  the  Prince's  arrival.  The  whole  wharf  is  one  mass  of  flags, 
mottoes,  and  insignia,  placed  on  a  background  of  green  plants 
in  which  various  kinds  of  fruits  have  been  cleverly  entwined. 
Tall  green  arches  span  the  streets,  each  proclaiming  the  town's 
welcome  to  the  Prince,  and  declaring  the  people's  loyalty  to 
the  royal  family.  All  the  chief  buildings  bear  gayly  painted 
sentences  of  welcome,  "  God  bless  the  Prince  of  Wales,"  "  Wel- 
come to  Albert  Edward,"  and  so  forth.  The  day  is  a  holiday, 
no  business  is  transacted,  crowds  fill  the  streets ;  and  although 
the  Prince  left  this  morning  for  Kandy  (seventy-four  miles 
inland),  the  enthusiasm  does  not  seem  to  have  abated.  The 
hotel  is  packed  with  a  mass  of  thirsty  Englishmen,  all  calling 
for  the  cooling  brandy  and  soda  to  which  they  are  so  accus- 
tomed at  home;  and  the  popping  of  soda-water  bottles,  min- 
gling with  the  many  different  voices,  produces  an  absolute 
din.  We  succeed,  however,  in  obtaining  rooms  at  "royal 
visit  prices,"  and,  as  we  are  too  late  to  catch  the  afternoon 
train  to  Kandy,  we  spend  several  hours  in  walking  about 
Colombo. 

Colombo,  the  capital  of  Ceylon,  is  situated  on  a  peninsula, 


CEYLON.  213 

Surrounded  011  three  sides  by  the  sea.  It  has  a  popula- 
tion of  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand.  The  town  con- 
tains many  fine  business  blocks  and  large  warehouses.  The 
residence  of  the  governor,  Eight  Honorable  W.  H.  Gregory,* 
is  especially  noticeable.  Outside  the  walls  are  the  dwellings 
of  the  Dutch  and  Portuguese.  On  the  right  of  the  town  is 
the  Pettah,  or  black  town,  occupied  by  the  natives.  To  the 
left  stretches  a  beautiful  beach,  over  a  mile  long,  beside  which 
runs  an  excellent  carriage-road.  Colombo  is  well  garrisoned, 
and  several  batteries  face  the  sea.  The  climate  of  Ceylon  is 
very  warm,  but  much  cooler  than  that  of  Java. 

December  4. —  At  2  P.  M.  we  drive  to  the  railroad  station, 
and  soon  are  on  our  way  to  Kandy.  The  railroad  was  started 
in  1859  by  the  late  governor,  Sir  H.  Ward.  It  runs  through 
the  thickest  vegetation  of  the  island,  and  for  twelve  and  a 
half  miles  ascends  an  incline  of  one  in  forty-five,  rising  to 
an  altitude  of  seventeen  hundred  feet  at  a  station  called  Kadu- 
ganava.  The  journey  to  Kandy  occupies  nearly  five  hours. 
This  time  is  required,  as  the  train  must  go  very  slowly  for 
the  last  third  of  the  way.  The  cars  wind  over  mountains, 
through  long  tunnels,  and  along  the  verge  of  appa  ently  inac- 
cessible heights,  from  which  one  can  look  far  down  into  the 
valleys  below.  Indeed,  this  portion  of  the  line  somewhat  re- 
sembles  a  part  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  of  California, 
The  day  is  rainy,  and    we    can    look  down  on  to  the  tops  of 

*    Now  Sir  W.   11.  Gregory. 


214  DOTTING S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

large  clouds  which  are  floating  over  the  valleys  beneath  us. 
On  each  side  of  the  road  is  a  sort  of  fence,  recently  constructed, 
formed  of  plants  with  different  fruits  placed  at  little  distances 
apart ;  and  every  station  is  hung  with  flags  and  mottoes,  wel- 
coming the  Prince  of  Wales,  who  yesterday  passed  over  the 
road  with  his  suite. 

We  reach  Kandy  at  seven  o'clock  in  a  pouring  rain ;  and 
as  all  the  carriages  are  engaged  elsewhere  by  the  crowds  who 
have  followed  the  Prince,  we  are  obliged  to  hire  two  Singha- 
lese to  carry  our  valises,  and  we  ourselves,  having  borrowed 
a  native  umbrella,  follow  our  guides  to  the  hotel. 

On  our  arrival  at  the  Queen's  Hotel  (a  wretched  inn,  an 
outrage  on  the  name  it  bears),  we  learn  that  the  Prince  has 
departed  for  an  elephant  hunt,  farther  inland,  and  will  not 
return  to  Kandy,  but  is  to  be  received  by  the  people  of  Co- 
lombo next  Monday  afternoon.  To-day  is  Saturday,  so  we 
decide  to  spend  Sunday  in  Kandy,  and  return  to  Colombo  in 
time  to  witness  the  passage  of  the  Prince  through  that  city 
on  his  way  to  open  the  Agricultural  Grounds. 

December  5.  —  Kandy,  the  old  residence  of  the  native  kin^s 
of  Ceylon,  is  situated  in  a  valley  surrounded  by  beautiful 
hills,  and  on  the  bank  of  a  small  lake.  It  now  contains 
many  European  dwelling-houses  and  public  buildings.  The 
governor's  palace,  the  library,  and  the  English  church  are  the 
most  important.  It  contains  a  population  of  ten  thousand. 
Yesterday,  in  the  old  Hall  of  the  Kings,  the  descendants  of 


CEYLOX.  215 

the  conquered  princes  paid  homage  to  the  son  of  their 
queen. 

After  breakfast  -\ve  visit  "Lady  Horton's  "Walk,"  a  wide 
path  which  winds  up  a  neighboring  hill,  from  whose  summit 
a  fine  bird's-eye  view  of  Kandy  may  be  obtained.  From  here 
we  go  the  Dalada,  or  the  Temple  of  the  Tooth,  a  curious 
Buddhist  structure,  built  to  protect  a  veritable  tooth  of  the 
great  Buddha,  which  is  here  carefully  preserved  by  the  priests. 
This  tooth  is  only  exhibited  once  a  year  at  a  great  religious 
festival ;  and  though  it  was  yesterday  brought  out  for  the  in- 
spection of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  it  has  already  been  returned 
to  its  secluded  resting-place,  and  the  priests  refuse  to  exhibit 
it  to  us.  The  Temple  of  the  Tooth  is  a  curious  piece  of  archi- 
tecture and  well  worth  a  careful  study. 

December  G.  —  We  take  the  seven-o'clock  train  for  Colombo, 
which,  on  account  of  the  numbers  who  have  come  to  Kandy 
to  see  the  Prince  and  are  now  returning,  is  unusually  long 
and  crowded.  Twenty-eight  cars  and  two  engines  —  the  long- 
est train  ever  on  the  road  —  toil  slowly  down  the  mountain, 
and  it  is  fully  one  o'clock  —  an  hour  and  a  half  behind 
time  —  when  we  reach  the  station  at  Colombo. 

On  our  arrival  at  the  hotel  we  find  that  the  Prince  is 
delayed  in  camp,  and  will  not  enter  Colombo  till  to-morrow 
afternoon. 

After  lunch  we  walk  to  the  sea-shore,  and  engage  a  <■*<- 
tamaran,  and  balancing  ourselves  on  its  narrow  seat,  we  order 


2l6  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

the  Singhalese  to  row  us  out  to  the  Serapis,  the  Prince's 
ship.  As  soon  as  we  set  foot  on  board,  we  send  our  cards 
to  the  officer  of  the  deck  with  a  request  to  be  permitted  to 
visit  the  "royal  apartments."  A  polite  and  affirmative  an- 
swer is  at  once  returned,  and  a  seaman  is  detailed  to  conduct 
us  to  the  door  of  the  Prince's  dining-room  and  put  us  in 
charge  of  the  Prince's  steward,  who  alone  has  charge  of  the 
apartments  during  the  absence  of  the  royal  party. 

The  steward  conducts  us  first  over  the  dining-room.  This 
is  a  large  apartment  in  the  stern  of  the  ship,  luxuriously 
furnished,  out  of  which  lead  several  smaller  chambers,  two 
of  which  are  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the  Prince.  The  din- 
ing-room contains  a  beautiful  table  and  handsome  sideboard. 
All  the  furniture  is  marked  with  the  Prince's  crest  and  the 
letters  A.  E.  The  steward  leads  us  around  the  table,  saying, 
"The  Prince  of  Wales  sits  there,  the  Duke  of  Sutherland 
there,  Sir  Bartle  Frere  here,"  and  so  on.  Passing  now  into 
the  parlor  (which  is,  indeed,  only  separated  from  the  dining- 
room  by  a  mast  of  the  ship),  we  see  before  us  a  large  picture 
of  the  Queen,  and  near  by  a  most  beautiful  one  of  the  Prin- 
cess of  Wales.  Around  the  room  are  fine  maps,  and  on  the 
tables  are  the  latest  books  upon  India  and  Ceylon.  A  mail 
has  evidently  been  lately  received,  for  a  score  of  letters  are 
lying  on  a  little  secretary,  the  majority  of  which  are  directed 
to  Sir  Bartle  Frere. 

Our  guide  shows  us  next    through    the    private  apartments 


CEYLON.  217 

of  the  Prince.  We  examine  with  interest  his  famous  swivel- 
bed  In  his  little  parlor  adjoining  is  an  Indian  dagger,  cov- 
ered with  jewels,  which  was  presented  to  the  Prince  by  some 
native  ruler.  Books  and  pamphlets  of  travel  and  science  are 
scattered  about,  showing  that  the  royal  visitor  endeavors  to 
post  himself  thoroughly  in  regard  to  the  different  countries 
he  is  passing  through. 

Having  paused  a  moment  in  the  room  of  the  Duke  of 
Sutherland,  we  follow  our  conductor  to  the  smoking-room. 
This  apartment  is  a  gem.  It  is  situated  on  the  main  deck, 
elegantly  furnished,  and  enclosed  by  large  plate-glass  windows, 
which  command  an  extended  view  in  all  directions.  Having 
retraced  our  steps  to  the  outer  door  of  the  dining-room,  we 
are  again  put  in  charge  of  the  seaman  who  has  waited  for 
us,  and  the  steward  instructs  him  to  show  us  over  the  other 
p< ut ions  <if  the  ship. 

We  visit  the  stables  where  the  fine  horses  of  the  Prince 
are  kept.  Each  animal  has  his  name  painted  over  his  stall. 
Near  by  are  the  cattle  and  poultry  for  the  use  of  the  Prince, 
and  opposite  is  the  kitchen  where  his  own  food  is  specially 
prepared 

After  examining  tin-  quarters  of  the  regular  officers  and 
seamen  <>t  the  vessel,  wo  take  our  leave,  and  return  to  Co- 
lombo.  Viewed  from  tin;  water,  the  Serajpis  presents  a  huge 
appearance;  but  it  is  necessary  to  walk  through  the  ship  and 
examine  it  in  detail,  before  a  just  idea  of  her  immense  ca- 
pacity  can  be  formed 


2l8  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

December  7.  —  In  company  with  Captain  V.  Hoskioer,  of 
the  Eoyal  Danish  Engineers  (our  fellow-passenger  on  the 
Tigre  from  Singapore,  and  bound  also  to  Calcutta),  we  visit 
this  morning  an  old  Hindoo  temple  of  most  curious  architec- 
ture, situated  in  the  Pettah.  This  building  is  well  worth  a 
visit,  but  seems  to  be  little  known  by  the  European  inhabi- 
tants. From  here  we  drive  to  the  large  coffee  warehouses  of 
Armitage  Brothers,  and  are  very  politely  shown  over  the 
establishment  by  the  overseer,  who  explains  fully,  as  we  walk 
about,  all  the  details  of  the  process  required  to  bring  the 
coffee  into  a  condition  for  market.  The  coffee-berries  are 
first  spread  out  over  large  "barbecues,"  —  wide,  flat  surfaces 
hardened  with  asphalt,  —  to  be  dried  by  the  sun;  after  which 
they  are  placed  in  a  sort  of  mill  called  a  "peeler,"  where 
large  wheels  strip  off  the  two  skins  that  cover  each  berry, — 
the  outer  skin  and  the  silver  skin.  When  these  have  been 
removed,  the  coffee-berries  are  thrown  into  "feeders,"  which 
blow  away  all  dust  and  chaff  that  remains,  after  which 
"  sizers  "  receive  them.  These  "  sizers  "  are  sieves  of  different 
sizes  which  separate  the  large  berries  from  the  small,  and  also 
remove  any  gravel  or  foreign  matter  that  may  have  become 
mixed  with  them. 

"When  all  these  operations  are  finished,  the  coffee  is  placed 
in  bags,  and  is  once  more  poured  out,  to  be  examined  by 
native  women  whose  business  it  is  to  search  for  and  remove 
all   imperfect   berries    that    can    be   found.      This  being  done, 


CEYLON.  219 

the  coffee  of  the  best  quality  is  ready  for  the  market.  The 
imperfect  berries,  however,  are  collected  together  and  sold  also, 
but  of  course  at  a  much  lower  price.* 

On  our  return  to  the  city  we  go  to  the  office  of  the  British 
India  Steamship  Company'  to  inquire  about  the  Calcutta  steam- 
er. The  office,  however,  is  closed,  and  the  agents  have  very 
carelessly  omitted  to  put  up  a  notice  in  regard  to  their  boat. 
On  inquiring  at  the  post-office  we  are  told  that  the  steamer 
has  arrived,  and  is  to  leave  in  half  an  hour,  and  that  the 
mails  have  just  been  sent  aboard.  This  seems  conclusive,  so 
we  return  at  once  to  the  hotel,  give  up  our  rooms,  and  hav- 
ing placed  our  luggage  in  charge  of  coolies,  make  our  way 
in  company  with  Captain  Hoskioer  to  the  wharf.  Having 
engaged  a  boat  at  "royal  visit  prices,"  we  spend  half  an  hour 
in  the  fierce  tropical  sun  endeavoring  to  find  the  steamer 
Patna,  which  we  finally  discover  has  not  yet  arrived  in  the 
harbor !  "We  are  obliged  to  return  to  the  hotel  (after  en- 
gaging another  squad  of  coolies  for  the  trunks),  and  we  arrive 
there  hot  and  tired,  only  to  find  that  our  places  have  been 
filled  by  others.  The  head  steward,  however,  very  kindly 
gives  us  his  room,  and  we  accept  it  with  thanks,  being  en- 
tirely upset  in  our  arrangements  by  the  neglect  of  the  agent 
to  inform  us  of  the  steamer's  movements. 

*  The  total  product  <>f  the  coffee  crop  of  the  world   for  1874  is  estimated 

at  ahoiit  '.Hi<),0!)O,0n()  jiouiuls,  of  which  amount  the  United  States  imported, 
in  1875,  over  a  third,  or  817,070,665  pounds. 


220  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

The  Prince  of  Wales  has  returned  to  Colombo,  having  left 
his  hunting-grounds  at  an  early  hour  this  morning,  and  at 
half  past  four  this  afternoon  he  is  expected  to  pass  through 
the  city  to  open  an  agri-horticultural  exhibition,  for  which 
great  preparations  have  been  made.  The  decorations  along 
the  streets,  which  were  erected  in  honor  of  his  landing,  have 
been  added  to  and  improved ;  new  arches  have  been  built, 
fresh  greens  have  been  placed  here  and  there,  and  everything 
possible  has  been  done  to  make  the  second  welcome  even 
more  cordial  than  the  first.  By  three  o'clock  the  street  lead- 
ing from  the  governor's  house  (where  the  Prince  resides  dur- 
ing his  visit)  to  the  Agricultural  Grounds  is  lined  with 
thousands  of  people,  Europeans  and  natives,  all  eager  to  see 
the  Prince  as  he  passes  by.  A  remarkable  crowd  it  is  ! 
Here  one  can  see  a  group  of  Singhalese  or  Tamils,  in  the 
very  scant  costume  of  their  race,  side  by  side  with  a  little 
knot  of  Londoners  in  frock-coats  and  tall  hats;  while  near 
by  are  some  native  women  in  all  the  glory  of  silk  dresses, 
Indian  shawls,  and  bare  feet!  Police  inspectors  gallop  up 
and  down,  thunder  angrily  at  natives  who  straggle  through 
the  lines,  and  endeavor  to  hide  their  excitement  and  embar- 
rassment in  the  heights  (rather  than  the  depths)  of  their 
pith  helmets.  At  last,  at  about  five  o'clock,  four  lancers 
appear,  followed  by  two  carriages,  in  the  foremost  of  which, 
dressed  in  cool  light  garments  and  surrounded  by  some  of 
his  suite,  sits  the  Prince  of  Wales,  raising  his  hat  from  time 


CEYLON.  221 

to  time  in  response  to  the  cheers  which  greet  him  on  all 
sides.  The  immense  concourse  of  natives,  however,  do  not 
utter  a  sound.  The  outspoken  welcome  comes  entirely  from 
the  Europeans.  The  Singhalese  and  Tamils  gaze  wonderingly 
at  the  Prince's  carriage,  look  into  each  other's  faces,  and 
turn  half  disappointedly  away.  A  gentleman  in  the  crowd 
who  understands  the  Singhalese  language  discovers  the  cause. 
The  natives  (who  associate  great  outward  adornment  with  the 
name  of  prince)  expected  that  the  son  of  their  Queen  would 
come  to  them  in  a  gorgeous  chariot,  with  a  crown  of  gold  on 
his  head,  and  arrayed  in  splendid  robes.  Instead  of  this 
he  appears  like  any  other  of  their  European  masters.  Their 
hearts  are  loyal  to  him,  but  their  eyes  are  not  satisfied. 


222  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

CEYLON    TO    CALCUTTA. 

NEGAPATAM.  —  PONDICHERRY.  —  MADRAS.  —  MaSULIPATAM.  — Cc-CONADA.  — 

vlzagapatam.  —  blmlipatam.  —  gopolpoke.  —  false  point.  —  diamond 
Hakbor.  —  Arrival  at  Calcutta. 

December  8.  —  The  steamer  Patna,  bound  for  Calcutta,  ar- 
rives early  this  morning.  We  go  on  board  at  noon  with 
Captain  Hoskioer,  and  at  two  o'clock  bid  farewell  to  Ceylon. 

December  11.  —  At  noon  to-day  we  sight  the  southern  coast 
of  India,  and  at  one  o'clock  our  ship  drops  anchor  off  Negapa- 
tam,  a  place  of  very  little  interest  to  the  traveller,  which  came 
into  the  possession  of  the  English  in  1783.  Having  received 
a  little  cargo,  brought  from  the  shore  by  natives  in  large, 
clumsy  scows,  we  continue  our  way. 

December  12.  —  At  daybreak  this  morning  we  arrive  at 
Pondicherry.  This  town  is  the  capital  of  the  French  East 
Indian  territory.  It  is  situated  eighty-eight  miles  south  of 
Madras,  and  has  a  population  of  thirty  thousand.  Our  ship 
is  to  receive  the  French  governor,  and  carry  him  to  Madras 
to  pay  his  respects  to  the  Prince  of  Wales,  who  is  now  on 
his  way  thither.  As  the  governor  will  not  embark  till  evening, 
we  have  ample  time  to  land  and  examine  the  town.     Calling 


CEYLON  TO   CALCUTTA.  223 

a  native  boat,  we  are  soon  set  down  on  a  fine  beach,  near  which 
runs  a  hard,  wide  avenue.  The  town  itself  is  well  laid  out 
and  pleasantly  situated,  its  excellent  roads  being  especially 
noticeable.  We  find  here  hotels,  cafes,  an  opera-house,  a 
Catholic  cathedral,  forts,  a  dock-yard,  and  lighthouse.  The 
governor's  residence  is  in  the  centre  of  the  town,  and  is  a 
spacious  building.  Multitudes  of  little  carriages  are  about 
the  streets,  propelled  by  natives  from  behind,  and  used  here  as 
the  jinrikisha  in  Japan.     This  vehicle  is  called  a  push/push. 

At  noon  we  return  to  the  steamer,  and  at  five  o'clock  a 
salute  from  the  fort  announces  the  departure  of  the  governor 
for  our  vessel.  Soon  a  large  row-boat  comes  alongside,  with 
the  French  flag  at  bow  and  stern,  and  the  governor,  —  a  pleas- 
ant-looking old  gentleman,  —  his  aide-de-camp,  private  secre- 
tary, and  several  servants,  leaving  the  boat  amid  "  tossed  oars," 
are  received  at  the  gangway  by  our  captain  (himself  an  old 
naval  officer)  with  all  due  etiquette  and  ceremony.  In  a  few 
moments  we  are  under  weigh. 

December  I-!. —  At  live  o'clock  this  morning  we  anchor  off 
Madras,  ami,  early  as  it  is,  the  governor  of  Pondicherry,  in  full 
court  dress  and  accompanied  by  his  suite,  leaves  the  steamer, 
and  is  rowed  quickly  ashore  by  the  servants  of  one  of  the 
English  officials.  It  is  necessary  for  him  to  land  thus  early, 
as  the  Prince  of  Wales  is  expected  to  arrive  at  the  railroad 
station  at  eight  o'clock,  and  the  governor  is  one  of  the  Com- 
mittee of  Reception. 


224  DOTTIXGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

A  resident  of  Madras,  who  conies  aboard  our  steamer,  tells 
us  of  an  amusing  mistake  recently  made  by  the  English  offi- 
cials in  regard  to  the  arrival  of  the  governor  of  Pondicherry. 
It  was  believed  in  Madras  that  the  governor  would  take  pas- 
sage in  the  regular  mail-boat  of  the  French  Messageries  Mari- 
times  Company.  When  that  vessel  appeared,  therefore,  two 
days  ago,  a  salute  was  fired  from  the  English  fort,  and  a  com- 
pany of  soldiers  were  drawn  up  on  the  wharf  in  readiness  to 
receive  the  governor.  Soon  a  little  boat  left  the  steamer  and 
was  rowed  rapidly  towards  the  town.  On  its  arrival  a  gen- 
tleman stepped  out  and  walked  slowly  up  the  steps  of  the 
wharf.  The  soldiers  presented  arms,  the  commanding  officer 
advanced  respectfully,  and  the  cannon  roared  from  the  town. 
The  gentleman  who  had  just  landed  was  evidently  surprised. 
Pausing  near  the  commanding  officer,  he  raised  his  hat  with 
a  polite  and  interrogating  "  Monsieur  ? "  The  Englishman  in 
his  turn  was  mystified.  Then,  suspecting  some  mistake,  he 
said,  "  Are  you  not  the  governor  of  Pondicherry  ?  " 

"No,  sir,"  replied  the  stranger  in  excellent  English,  "I  am 
the  purser  of  yonder  vessel,  and  his  Excellency  is  not  on 
board."  The  cannon  ceased  quickly,  the  soldiers  retired,  and 
all  Madras  laughed. 

Madras,  formerly  called  Fort  St.  George,  is  the  capital  of 
the  Madras  presidency,  and  contains  a  population  of  four  hun- 
dred thousand,  of  whom  four  thousand  are  Europeans.  Ma- 
dras   is   distant    seven    hundred    and    sixty-four    miles   from 


CEYLON  TO   CALCUTTA.  225 

Bombay  and  one  thousand  and  sixty-two  miles  from  Calcutta. 
An  immense  number  of  vessels  arrive  at  Madras  in  the  course 
of  a  year,  and  the  yearly  imports  and  exports  of  the  city  aver- 
age eight  million  pounds. 

Calling  a  Masullah  boat,  we  are  rowed  skilfully  through  the 
high  surf  to  the  beach.  The  town  presents  a  very  gay  ap- 
pearance. All  the  chief  buildings  are  hung  with  flags  and 
adorned  with  mottoes  of  welcome  to  the  Prince  of  Wales, 
and  the  streets  are  filled  with  crowds  of  natives  and  Euro- 
peans eager  to  catch  sight  of  his  Royal  Highness.  Great 
arches  have  been  erected,  similar  to  those  in  Ceylon,  but  more 
elaborate  and  costly.  Our  steamer  is  to  remain  till  afternoon, 
and  we  have  the  morning  before  us.  Taking  a  carriage  we 
visit  some  of  the  chief  objects  of  interest  in  the  city.  We 
drive  first  to  the  People's  Park,  a  large  public  garden  con- 
taining an  extensive  menagerie.  Here  are  monkeys  of  all 
kinds,  lions,  panthers,  leopards,  wild-cats,  hyenas,  a  tiger,  and 
a  rhinoceros.  From  the  gardens  we  proceed  to  the  Central 
Museum,  founded  in  1851,  which  contains  a  large  collection 
of  ancient  Indian  stone  work,  old  agricultural  implements, 
and  extensive  ornithological  cabinets.  After  lunch  we  visit 
a  large  Juggernaul  ear.  The  English  have  forbidden  the  na- 
tives to  use  them  as  of  old.*  On  our  return  to  the  steamer 
we  find  our  passenger-list  considerably  increased.     Among  the 

*  In  ;i  bookstore  in  this  city  we  found  for  sale  Dr.  John  Todd's  Student's 
Manual. 

15 


226  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

late  arrivals  is  Mr.  Ashbury,  M.  P.,  and  the  Marquis  of  Ivil- 
dare,  eldest  son  of  the  Duke  of  Leinster,  grandson  on  his 
mother's  side  of  the  second  Duke  of  Sutherland,  and  grand- 
nephew  of  Lord  Francis  Egerton. 

December  IJf..  —  The  sea  is  very  high  to-day,  and  our  ship 
runs  through  frequent  storms  of  rain.  At  7  P.  m.  we  anchor 
off  Masulipatam,  three  hundred  and  fifteen  miles  north  of 
Madras.  This  town  was  taken  by  the  English  in  1759.  The 
place  contains  no  harbor,  and  the  neighboring  waters  are  so 
shallow  that  steamers  are  obliged  to  lie  nearly  three  miles 
from  land. 

December  IS. —  We  remain  off  Masulipatam  till  4  P.  M.,  while 
our  steamer  is  unloading  and  receiving  cargo. 

December  16. — "We  reach  Coconada,  our  next  stopping-place, 
at  8  a.  m.  Coconada,  situated  near  the  Godavery  River,  con- 
tains a  population  of  eighteen  thousand.  Its  harbor  is  rapidly 
filling  up  with  immense  quantities  of  silt,  brought  down  by 
the  river.  Continual  dredging  is  necessary,  and  even  now 
steamers  are  obliged  to  anchor  nearly  four  miles  from  land. 
A  canal,  ninety  miles  long,  joins  the  neighboring  deltas  of 
the  Godavery  and  Kistna  Rivers.  Coconada  contains  exten- 
sive cigar  manufactories  and  castor-oil  works. 

Our  steamer  is  to  remain  till  evening,  and  several  of  us 
engage  a  large  native  boat  and  sail  to  the  town,  the  voyage 
occupying  over  an  hour.  Ascending  the  canal  for  a  short 
distance,   we    disembark    at   the   house   of   the   agent   of  the 


CEYLOX  TO   CALCUTTA.  227 

British  India  Steamship  Company,  who  also  is  the  American 
Consul.  This  gentleman  receives  us  very  politely,  furnishes 
us  with  a  guide  to  conduct  us  over  the  cigar  and  castor-oil 
establishments,  and  kindly  invites  us  to  tiffin  with  him  on 
our  return.  Leaving  the  agent's  house,  we  follow  our  guide 
to  the  cigar  manufactory  near  by,  where  we  are  shown  the 
different  processes  of  cigar-making.  Afterwards,  we  visit  the 
castor-oil  works.  All  the  details  of  this  business  are  fully 
explained  to  us,  and  we  see  the  oil  itself  pouring  out  from 
the  press  in  which  the  beans  are  placed,  and  running  into 
large  casks.     After  a  thorough  boiling  it  is  ready  for  shipment. 

After  tiffin  we  engage  carriages,  and  drive  to  a  large  Hin- 
doo temple  about  four  miles  distant,  which,  in  its  outward 
adornment,  is  ample  evidence  of  the  religious  sanction  which 
was  given  to  debauchery  of  the  wildest  description. 

On  our  return  to  the  town  we  find  the  Steamship  Company's 
steam-launch  about  to  start  for  our  vessel,  and  we  are  thus 
saved  a  long  and  tedious  cruise  in  a  native  boat.  At  mid- 
night  we  resume  our  course. 

December  17.  —  At  noon  to-day  we  anchor  off  Vizagapatam, 
four  hundred  and  ninety-one  miles  from  Madras.  The  town 
h  built  at  the  base  and  on  the  side  of  a  hill,  near  the  sum- 
mit of  which  is  a  curious  mosque.  The  inhabitants  adorn 
boxes  and  othei  articles  with  porcupine  quills,  which  they 
offer  to  strangers. 

Proceeding  on  our  way  we  reach  Bimlipatam  at  six  o'clock. 


228  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


This   town   is   sixteen   miles   from  Vizagapatam.     It  contains 
little  of  interest  to  the  traveller. 

December  18. —  At  4  p.  m.  we  leave  Bimlipatam  and  con- 
tinue our  journey. 

December  19.  —  At  four  o'clock  this  morning  one  of  the 
passengers  rouses  me,  and  we  go  on  deck,  where  we  obtain  a 
fine  view  of  the  constellation  of  the  Southern  Cross.  At 
eight  o'clock  we  anchor  off  Gopolpore,  a  small  settlement  in 
a  sandy  plain.  We  go  ashore  and  spend  an  hour  at  the 
bungalow  of  the  Steamship  Company's  agent. 

December  20.  —  We  reach  False  Point  at  noon  to-day ;  and 
after  taking  on  board  several  passengers  and  a  small  amount 
of  cargo,  we  leave  for  Calcutta. 

December  21.  —  At  5  p.  m.  we  come  to  anchor  in  the 
Hooghly  River  off  Diamond  Harbor,  thirty  miles  from  Cal- 
cutta. We  are  obliged  to  lie  here  all  night,  as  the  tide  will 
not  allow  us  to  ascend  the  river  till  to-morrow. 

December  22. —  We  continue  our  voyage  at  daybreak,  and 
soon  are  meeting  continually  steamers  and  sailing-vessels 
bound  in  all  directions.  The  Hooghly  runs  for  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  miles  from  the  Ganges  to  the  sea.  At  its 
mouth  its  width  is  eight  miles.  Above  Diamond  Harbor, 
however,  it  is  not  more  than  three  quarters  of  a  mile  wide. 
In  several  places  the  shores  are  quite  high  and  picturesque. 
At  ten  o'clock  we  pass  the  palace  of  the  King  of  Oudli,  who 
is    kept    here    as  a   political    prisoner   by    the    English.      The 


CEYLOX   TO   CALCUTTA.  229 

buildings  are  lofty  and  the  grounds  extensive.  After  turn- 
ing around  a  little  bend  in  the  river  just  above  the  palace, 
we  come  suddenly  among  a  fleet  of  vessels,  representing,  I 
may  almost  say,  all  nations.  The  amount  of  shipping  around 
us  is  astonishing !  Soon,  as  our  steamer  picks  her  way  care- 
fully along,  we  see  ahead,  above  the  multitudes  of  masts,  the 
tall  spires  and  domes  of  the  buildings  in  the  city ;  and  higher 
up  the  river,  the  wide  bridge  across  the  Hooghly,  thronged 
with  men,  horses,  and  vehicles,  gives  us  the  final  assurance 
that  we  have  arrived  at  one  of  the  great  commercial  centres 
of  the  world. 

I  cannot  take  leave  of  the  Patna,  in  which  I  have  trav- 
elled so  long,  without  offering  my  grateful  acknowledgment 
to  Captain  Street  for  the  uniform  kindness  and  attention 
which  he  showed  us,  and  for  his  continual  efforts  to  make 
the  voyage  pass  pleasantly,  —  a  result  which  I  can  assure 
hi  in  he  accomplished. 

On  landing  at  Calcutta,  we  go  at  once  to  the  Great  Eastern 
Hotel,  and  find  accommodation  awaiting  us,  as  we  have  tele- 
graphed  foi  places  several  days  previously,  knowing  that  the 
arrival  of  the  1'rince  of  Wales  (who  is  to  reach  Calcutta  to- 
morrow) will   produce   the  usual    crowd   and   confusion.      This 

tied,  we  'hive  to  our  bankers  for  our  letters  (which  await 
us  in  goodly  numbers),  and  afterwards  set  out  to  present  sev- 
eral letters  of  introduction.  The  Prince  of  Wales  (as  I  have 
pected  to-morrow,  and  the  streets  are  full  of  arches 


230  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

and  festoons  of  welcome,  and  grand  preparations  are  on  foot 
for  the  illumination  which  is  to  take  place  Christmas  eve. 
Besides  this,  large  placards  announce  the  holiday  attractions 
of  Calcutta's  three  theatres,  and  I  see  the  veteran  actor 
Charles  Matthews  advertised  to  appear  in  several  of  his 
specialities. 

Soon  after  our  return  to  the  hotel,  General  Litchfield,  the 
American  Consul,  comes  to  our  room  and  invites  us  infor- 
mally to  dinner.  We  pass  a  very  pleasant  evening  at  the 
consulate,  and  are  very  glad  to  meet  again  Generals  Upton 
and  Forsythe  and  Major  Sanger,  with  whom  we  crossed  the 
Pacific  and  from  whom  we  parted  in  Japan. 


CALCUTTA    TO  BEXARES.  23 1 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

CALCUTTA    TO    BENARES. 

Chtust.mas  Eve  in  Calcutta.  —  Illumination  in  Honor  of  the  Prince  of 
"Wales.  —  Benares.  —  The  Ghats  and  Temples.  —  Burning  the  Dead. 
—  Sarnath. 

December  23.  —  Calcutta  (called  so  from  Kali,  a  goddess ; 
and  Cuttah,  a  temple)  is  situated  on  the  west  bank  of  the 
Hooghly,  about  one  hundred  and  ten  miles  from  the  mouth. 
The  place  has  been  in  the  possession  of  the  English  since 
1GG4.  The  middle  of  the  city  is  in  the  form  of  a  square, 
with  the  Maidan,  or  Park,  in  the  centre.  Here  is  Govern- 
ment House,  the  residence  of  the  Viceroy.  Near  by  is  the 
Town  Hall,  Hospital,  Court  House,  and  the  new  Post  Office, 
the  latter  situated  on  the  site  of  the  famous  Black  Hole.  The 
native  quarter  is  thickly  inhabited,  and  contains  bazaars, 
II  Qdoo  pagodas,  and  Mohammedan  mosques. 

At  the  north  end  of  the  town  are  jetties  for  sea-going 
Bteamera,  The  streets  of  Calcutta  are  wide  and  clean,  and 
tin-  whole  city,  including  the  native  quarter,  is  excellently 
drained.  The  entire  population  amounts  to  one  million,  of 
whom  twenty  thousand  are  Europeans.  The  thermometer 
rarely  hills  below  52°,  and  seldom  exceeds  100°. 


232  DOTTIXGS  ROUND   THE  CIRCLE. 

The  leading  English  papers  published  in  Calcutta  are  The 
Friend  of  India,  The  Englishman,  The  Indian  Daily  News, 
The  Calcutta  Observer,  The  Indian  Public  Opinion,  Tlie  Chari- 
vari. Besides  these  there  are  several  native  papers  and 
periodicals. 

The  residence  and  grounds  of  the  Viceroy  occupy  twelve 
acres.  Here  are  statues  of  Wellesley,  Dalhousie,  and  Har- 
dinge.  Near  by  is  a  column  to  the  memory  of  Sir  David 
Ochterlony.  Across  the  Maidan  is  Fort  William.  The  city 
is  well  lighted  with  gas,  and  reservoirs  at  Barrackpore  furnish 
an  ample  supply  of  water. 

Calcutta  possesses  many  colleges,  a  University  founded  in 
1857,  and  the  Imperial  Museum,  where  the  Industrial  Exhi- 
bition of  1869  was  held.  One  third  of  the  entire  trade  of 
India  is  done  in  the  city  of  Calcutta. 

After  breakfast  this  morning  we  visit  Fort  William,  and 
are  greatly  pleased  with  the  excellent  barracks  provided  for 
the  soldiers.  After  a  walk  through  Eden  Gardens  we  return 
to  the  hotel,  and  find  a  ticket  awaiting  us,  kindly  sent  by 
General  Litchfield,  admitting  us  to  Prinsep's  Ghat,  where  the 
Prince  of  Wales  is  to  land  at  four  o'clock  this  afternoon. 
As  F is  suffering  from  a  severe  cold,  and  as  I  am  en- 
gaged to  dine  at  six  o'clock  with  a  Boston  merchant,  we  do 
not  make  use  of  it. 

December  ££• — The  Prince  of  Wales  arrived  yesterday  after- 
noon, and    the   streets  are   crowded  with  natives  and  Europe- 


CALCUTTA    TO  BENARES.  233 

ans,  hurrying  this  way  and  that,  and  the  authorities  are 
giving  the  last  touches  to  the  various  parts  of  the  coming 
illumination.  Countless  rows  of  little  glass  lamps,  of  various 
colors,  full  of  cocoa-nut  oil,  have  been  suspended  on  every 
public  building;  all  the  private  dwelling-houses  are  likewise 
adorned;  and  the  tall  arches  covered  with  emblems,  the  fre- 
quent transparencies  that  are  to  be  seen  in  all  directions, 
and  the  masses  of  lamps  and  gas-jets  wreathed  in  different 
devices,  all  assure  a  most  brilliant  effect.  It  has  been  ar- 
ranged that  the  Prince  and  party  shall  leave  Government 
House  at  dusk,  and  drive  through  the  principal  streets  to 
witness  the  illumination;  and  as  soon  as  the  Prince  is  well 
on  his  way,  all  other  carriages  may  follow  in  procession. 

General  Litchfield   has  most   kindly  offered  F and  me 

ts  in   his  carnage;   and  as  F is  unfortunately  unable 

to  leave  the  hotel  on  account  of  his  cold,  I  walk  out,  about 
half  past  five,  in  company  with  Dr.  Von  Scherff,  a  gentleman 
who  is  making  a  tour  of  the  world,  and  we  make  our  way 
past  a  long  line  of  vehicles  filled  with  a  most  brilliant  as- 
semblage, waiting  for  the  royal  party  to  appear.  We  soon 
find  the  carriages  of  General  Litchfield.  In  the  large  barouche 
are  Beated  General  Litchfield  and  wife,  Generals  Upton  and 
Forsythe,  and  Judge  M'Crae  of  California.  Pioom  is  found 
here  for  Dr.  Von  Scherff,  and  Major  Sanger  and  I  take  seats 
in  the  little  brougham  behind. 

It     is    now    dusk,   and    we    have    hardly    taken    our    places, 


234  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

when,  through  the  rapidly  increasing  darkness,  the  different 
buildings  begin  to  shine  out  with  their  broad  borders  of  light. 
The  effect  is  magnificent !  The  evening  is  perfectly  calm  and 
still;  hardly  a  breath  of  air  is  stirring;  and  as  building  after 
building  rises  forth  out  of  the  darkness,  —  all  the  doors  and 
windows  and  roofs  indicated  by  dazzling  lines  of  light,  —  we 
seem  to  be  gazing  on  some  strange  aerial  city  whose  houses 
are  mere  outlines,  like  imaginary  geometrical  figures  utterly 
devoid  of  substance. 

Promptly  at  six  o'clock  the  Prince  and  suite  drive  by, 
followed  by  a  company  of  Sepoys  in  brilliant  uniforms,  rid- 
ing at  full  gallop  with  drawn  swords.  After  waiting  about 
ten  minutes,  all  the  carriages  fall  into  line,  and  we  drive  for 
over  an  hour  through  the  principal  streets,  lined  with  myriads 
of  wondering  natives,  past  countless  brilliant  devices,  and 
building  after  building  all  ablaze  with  light.  The  rich  cos- 
tumes of  Indian  princes,  the  jewelled  trappings  of  their 
horses,  the  handsome  equipments  of  the  native  soldiers,  and 
the  curious  costumes  of  the  common  people,  all  combine  to 
form  a  scene  from  fairy-land,  a  picture  from  the  Arabian 
Nights ! 

Calcutta  is  remarkably  well  situated  for  an  exhibition  of 
this  sort.  The  city  contains  so  many  broad,  open  squares, 
that  the  many  tall  buildings  when  illuminated  can  all  be 
seen  to  good  advantage,  and  at  the  same  time  the  eye  can 
take    in    the    general   effect  of   the  whole.     It  is  hard  to  say 


CALCUTTA    TO  BENARES.  235 

where  the  most  pleasing  results  were  produced,  but  I  think 
it  is  generally  conceded  that  the  new  Imperial  Museum  out- 
shone everything  else.  This  tall  building  is  not  yet  com- 
pleted, but  the  deficiency  was  temporarily  made  good  by  the 
erection  of  a  skeleton  mansard-roof,  which  was  hung  with 
rows  of  lamps.  The  front  of  the  structure  bore  in  large 
letters  of  light,  "God  bless  the  Prince  of  Wales."  The 
Ochterlony  monument  seems  to  me  to  deserve  the  next 
place.  The  base  was  surrounded  with  rows  of  lamps ;  a  single 
string  of  lamps  was  wreathed  gracefully  round  the  column 
from  bottom  to  top,  bike  a  circlet  of  roses ;  and  t\\  0  brill- 
iant electric  lights  blazed  forth  from  the  little  gallery  at  the 
summit. 

After  witnessing  the  illuminations,  we  drive  to  the  house 
of  one  of  the  leading  American  merchants,  to  spend  the  re- 
mainder of  Christmas  eve.  Nearly  all  the  Americans  in  the 
city  are  present.  Soon  after  twelve  we  wish  each  other  a 
"merry  Christmas,"  and  perform  a  solemn  toast  to  our  distant 
friends. 

Since  my  arrival  in  Calcutta  I  have  been  frequently  to  the 
American  Consulate,  and  have  had  considerable  conversation 
with  General  Litchfield  in  regard  to  it.  The  building  is  of 
good  size  and  well  situated.  Indeed,  it  is  the  least  objection- 
able of  any  consular  resilience  that  I  have  yet  seen.  The 
establishment,  however,  needs  a  large  staff  of  servants.  Cal- 
cutta   contains    SO    many    English,  and    other    foreigners,    that 


236  DOTTIXGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

social  festivities  are  very  frequent.  Travellers  from  all  parts 
of  the  world  arrive  constantly,  and  the  representatives  of  their 
countries  must  entertain  them  at  least  to  some  degree.  In 
short,  the  city  holds  such  an  important  position,  politically 
and  commercially,  that  all  nations  should  give  their  chosen 
representatives  full  power  and  means  to  administer  their  in- 
terests in  the  best  possible  way.  General  Litchfield  informs 
me  that  the  salary  of  the  consulate  is  quite  insufficient  to 
enable  him  to  discharge  the  various  social  obligations  which 
are  continually  arising. 

0,  for  our  country's  sake,  may  future  travellers  find  a 
change !  Legislators  who  vehemently  support  propositions  of 
retrenchment  in  the  consular  service  think,  no  doubt,  that 
they  are  working  the  United  States  a  benefit  by  thus  effecting 
a  "  saving."  I  have  seen  with  my  own  eyes  that  the  country 
loses  the  money  fifty  times  over.  When  a  congressman  gives 
his  vote  for  such  a  measure,  he  is  doing  incalculable  harm, 
not  only  to  the  consular  body  itself,  but  also  to  every  citizen 
of  the  United  States  who  values  his  country's  reputation  in 
foreign  lands. 

December  .'■'.  —  Christmas  day!  and  everything  about  us 
like  summer.  What  is  Christmas  without  snow?  There  can 
be  no  Santa  Clans  here  for  children,  no  sleigh-rides,  no  softly 
falling  flakes  which  cover  all  unsightly  spots  and  make  the 
earth  look  clean  and  pure.  Such  festivals  must  make  the 
dwellers  in  this  distant  land  Ions;  all  the  more  for  home. 


CALCUTTA    TO  BEXARES.  237 

At  7  A.  M.  I  join,  by  appointment,  several  American  gentle- 
men whom  I  met  last  evening,  who  have  promised  to  show 
me  some  "jungle  riding."  I  am  furnished  with  a  large  Aus- 
tralian horse.  The  others,  similarly  mounted,  lead  the  way. 
Off  we  dash,  straight  into  the  jungle,  across  ditches  and  low 
walls,  which  are  easily  cleared  by  my  companions,  but  which 
demand  a  style  of  riding  which  I  have  never  practised  in 
America.  However,  I  manage  to  keep  up  with  them  fairly 
well,  and  we  return  about  ten  o'clock,  after  a  very  enjoyable 
airing. 

F •  and  I  have  decided  to  push  on  to  Benares.      There 

is  but  little  in  Calcutta  of  peculiar  and  special  interest  to  the 
traveller.  Benares,  the  most  holy  city  in  India,  teems  with 
curiosities.  General  Litchfield  has  kindly  offered  to  procure 
us  tickets  for  the  ball  at  Government  House,  and  for  the 
approaching  Chapter  of  the  Order  of  the  Star  of  India.  To 
witness  these  we  shall  be  obliged  to  remain  here  another  week. 
Dr.  Yon  Scherff  starts  to-night  for  Benares,  and  we  are  glad 
to  accompany  him.  Having  therefore  bade  farewell  to  our 
kind  friends,  we  drive  across  the  river  to  the  Howrah  station, 
and  leave  Calcutta  on  the  night  mail  at  half  past  ten,  on  the 
East  [ndian   Railway. 

December  20.  —  We  rush  along  all  day  at  a  tremendous 
speed,  past  small  villages  and  broad  fields  stretching  far  away 
on  eillnT  side.  We  pass  great  numbers  of  fat  snipe  and  wild 
pigeons,  which  are  very  tame,    and    which  do  not  seem  to  be 


238  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


at  all  disturbed  by  our  rattling  express.  Great  hawks,  too, 
perched  on  the  telegraph-poles,  look  at  us  half  sleepily,  as  if 
certain  of  not  being  interfered  with.  At  every  station  sev- 
eral natives  walk  up  and  clown  by  the  cars,  shouting,  "  Panee, 
panee"  (water).  The  accommodations  on  the  East  Indian 
Eailway  might  be  far  better.  Even  the  first-class  coaches  are 
dirty  and  uncomfortable. 

After  a  tiresome  day's  travel,  at  six  o'clock  we  reach  a  sta- 
tion called  Mogul  Serai,  where  it  is  necessary  to  change  cars 
for  Benares,  which  is  six  miles  distant  on  a  branch  road. 
Having  shifted  our  various  parcels,  we  start  again  in  about 
an  hour ;  and  when  we  have  safely  accomplished  five  miles  of 
the  six,  our  engine  breaks  a  connecting-rod  and  the  train 
comes  to  a  stand-still.  We  are  told  by  the  guard  that  an- 
other engine  has  been  telegraphed  for,  but  it  is  not  probable 
that  it  will  arrive  before  an  hour.  As  we  feel  sure  we  can 
accomplish  the  remaining  distance  in  much  less  time  on  foot, 
we  leave  the  train  and  walk  into  Benares,  like  the  countless 
pilgrims  who  annually  visit  its  holy  precincts.  We  have 
hardly  reached  the  station,  however,  when  the  train  slowly 
draws  up,  the  engine  having  in  some  way  recovered  itself. 
We  take  carriages  (garccs),  and  crossing  the  Ganges  on  the 
Bridge  of  Boats,  are  soon  installed  at  Clark's  Hotel. 

December  27. —  Benares  is  situated  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
Ganges,  four  hundred  and  seventy-five  miles,  by  rail,  from 
Calcutta.     Its  population   amounts  to  about  one  hundred  and 


CALCUTTA    TO  BENARES.  239 


seventy-four  thousand.  It  is  regarded  by  the  natives  as  the 
most  holy  city  in  India.  Multitudes  of  pilgrims  flock  to  Be- 
nares annually,  and  aged  priests,  expecting  soon  to  die,  hasten 
hither  to  rest  their  bones  in  the  city's  sacred  soil.  Indeed, 
men  guilty  of  the  foulest  crimes  believe  that  a  visit  to  Benares, 
and  a  solemn  worship  at  some  of  its  numberless  shrines,  will 
bring  forgiveness  for  their  sins  and  will  assure  the  safety  of 
their  souls  hereafter. 

As  far  back  as  the  middle  of  the  sixth  century  Benares 
must  have  been  a  city  of  importance  in  many  wayS ;  for  it 
was  to  the  Tsipattana  Vihara,  or  monastery,  now  called  Sar- 
nath,  that  Shakyamuni,  the  Great  Buddha,  came  at  that  time, 
and,  seating  himself  under  a  tree,  preached  for  the  first  time 
the  famous  doctrines  of  Dharma  and  Nirvana,  which  have 
been  since  embraced  by  four  hundred  millions  of  people. 
Before  this  period  Benares  was  the  centre  of  Hindooism  and 
chief  seat  of  its  authority.  "Benares  is  a  city  of  no  mean 
antiquity.  Twenty-five  centuries  ago,  at  the  least,  it  was  fa- 
mous. When  Babylon  was  struggling  with  Nineveh  for  su- 
premacy, when  Tyre  was  planting  her  colonies,  when  Athens 
was  growing  in  strength,  before  Piome  had  become  known,  or 
Greece  had  contended  with  Persia,  or  Cyrus  had  added  lustre 
to  the  Persian  monarchy,  or  Nebuchadnezzar  had  captured 
Jerusalem,  and  the  inhabitants  of  Judsea  had  been  carried 
into  captivity,  she  had  already  risen  to  greatness,  if  not  to 
glory.     Nay,  she  may  have  heard  of  the  fame  of  Solomon,  and 


240  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

have  sent  her  ivory,  her  apes,  aud  her  peacocks  to  adorn  his 
palaces;  while  partly  with  her  gold  he  may  have  overlaid 
the  Temple  of  the  Lord."* 

Soon  after  breakfast  we  engage  a  guide  and  make  our  way 
to   the   Man-Mandil   CI  hat    and    ascend    some   steps   near   by 
which  lead  up  to  the  Observatory,  erected  by  Eaja  Jay  Singh 
towards  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century.     On  our  way  we 
pass  several  ancient  idols,  some  being  in  the  form  of  monkeys 
representing  the  god  Hanuman.     A   flag   floats  from  the  top 
of  a  high  staff  near  by,  in  honor  of  the  Eaja  of  Jeypore, — 
the  present  proprietor  of  this  part  of  the  city,  and  the  descend- 
ant of  Eaja  Jay  Singh.     In  the  lane  leading  from   the  Ghat 
is  the  temple  of  Dalbhyeswar,  the  god  who  controls  the  rain. 
The  image  is  at  the  bottom  of  a  cistern  in  the  middle  of  the 
temple ;    for   the  people   believe   that  the  god   must   be    con- 
tinually drenched  with  water  if  a  favorable  answer  is  expected 
to   their   prayers  for  rain.     This  deity  is  also  known   as   the 
Poor  Man's  Friend,  and  it  is  said  that  needy  men,  by  visiting 
his  shrine,  will  have  their  wants  relieved.     The  great  poverty 
throughout  the  city  is  an  unfavorable  evidence   of  the  power 
of  the  god.     Near  by  is  Sitala,  the  goddess  of  small-pox. 

On  entering  the  Observatory,  the  first  instrument  we  see 
is  the  Bhittiyantra,  or  Mural  Quadrant,  which  consists  of  a 
wall  eleven  feet  high  and  nine  feet  one  and  a  quarter  inches 
broad,  in  the  plane   of  the   meridian.     This  is  used  to  ascer- 

*  Rev.  M.  A.  Sherring,  M.  A.,  LL.  B. 


CALCUTTA    TO  BENARES.  24 1 

tain  the  sun's  altitude  and  zenith  distance ;  also  the  sun's 
greatest  declination,  and  the  latitude  of  the  place.  Near  by 
are  two  large  circles,  one  made  of  stone,  the  other  of  lime; 
and  also  a  large  stone  square.  It  is  said  that  these  were  used 
for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  shadow  of  the  gnomon 
cast  by  the  sun,  and  the  degrees  of  azimuth ;  but  every  mark 
upon  them  is  destroyed. 

Another  immense  instrument  is  called  Yantrasamrat  (prince 
of  instruments),  the  wall  of  which  is  thirty -six  feet  in  length 
and  four  and  a  half  feet  in  breadth,  and  is  set  in  the  plane 
of  the  meridian.  One  extremity  is  six  feet  four  and  a  quarter 
inches  high,  and  the  other  twenty-two  feet  three  and  a  half 
inches.  By  this  instrument  the  distance  from  the  meridian, 
the  declination  of  any  planet  or  star,  and  the  sun,  and  the 
right  ascension  of  a  star,  may  be  discovered.  Here,  also,  is  a 
double  mural  quadrant,  and,  to  the  east,  an  equinoctial  circle 
of  stone.  At  a  little  distance  off  is  the  Chakrayantra,  an  in- 
strument used  for  finding  the  declination  of  a  planet  or  star. 
Near  this  is  another  large  instrument  called  Digansayantra, 
by  which  the  degrees  of  azimuth  of  a  planet  or  star  may  be 
found.     T(j  the  south  is  another  equinoctial  circle. 

Having  inspected  the  Observatory,  and  returned  to  the 
Man-Mandil  Ghat,  we  procure  a  boat  and  are  rowed  slowly 
along  in  Eronl  of  the  vast  number  of  curious  buildings  which 
rise  from  the  various  Ghats  to  a  height  of  fifty  or  sixty  feet, 
and  contain   five,  six,  and  sometimes  seven  stories.     This  view 


242  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

of  the  city  from  the  river  is  picturesque  to  the  highest  de- 
gree. The  different  towers,  temples,  mosques,  and  palaces, 
of  Hindoo  and  Saracenic  styles,  stretch  along  the  river- 
bank,  and  rise  to  the  summit  of  a  lofty  cliff  over  a  hundred 
feet  high.  In  the  holy  waters  of  the  Ganges  hundreds  of 
people  are  bathing;  while  others,  who  have  performed  their 
morning  ablutions,  are  worshipping  at  some  of  the  numerous 
shrines  in  the  vicinity,  or  are  conversing  with  pious  Brah- 
mins, —  called  Sons  of  the  Ganges,  —  who,  seated  under  im- 
mense palm  umbrellas,  exhort  the  people  or  expound  theo- 
logical dogmas.  Near  our  boat  a  dead  body  is  floating 
slowly  along  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  a  greedy 
vulture,  perched  upon  it,  is  tearing  it  to  pieces  with  evident 
enjoyment.  Opposite,  on  the  shore,  a  family  is  making  prep- 
arations to  burn  a  father  or  brother  lately  deceased;  near 
by  several  stone  altars  mark  the  spot  of  the  now  abolished 
suttee. 

Looking  at  this  varied  scene,  as  our  boat  glides  slowly 
along  with  the  current,  we  involuntarily  forget  the  present, 
and  are  transported  in  thought  into  the  past.  Here  modern 
progress  does  not  seem  to  be  known.  The  presence  of  the 
railroad  and  telegraph  is  forgotten ;  steamboats  may  never 
have  been ;  we  are  witnessing  peculiar  rites  and  ceremonies, 
which  have  been  continued  by  generation  after  generation 
for  hundreds  and  hundreds  of  years. 

In  regard  to  the  dead  body  floating  down  the  Ganges,  the 


CALCUTTA    TO  BENARES.  243 

explanation  is  easy.  When  a  poor  man  dies,  if  his  family  or 
friends  cannot  afford  to  purchase  wood  for  his  burning  (which 
is  very  expensive),  they  singe  the  upper  lip  or  the  face  of 
the  dead,  and  throw  the  body  into  the  Ganges.  It  is  firmly 
believed  that  the  body  of  the  dead  must  have  some  contact 
with  fire,  or  the  soid  will  not  be  at  rest.  This  became  so 
frequent,  that  the  English  government  were  obliged  to  forbid 
it  for  sanitary  reasons;  but  in  spite  of  the  prohibition  the 
nuisance  still  continues  to  some  degree. 

We  stop  our  boat  opposite  the  Burning  Ghat,  where,  close 
to  the  water's  edge,  the  dead  are  burned.  We  have  arrived 
at  the  beginning  of  the  funeral  ceremonies  of  a  man.  The 
body,  wrapped  in  white  cloth,  is  earned  by  the  relations  on  a 
rude  litter,  and  is  thrust,  feet  foremost,  into  the  muddy  waters 
of  the  Ganges.  When  it  has  been  completely  submerged  in 
the  sacred  stream,  the  cloth  over  the  face  is  removed,  and  a 
relative  carefully  shaves  the  deceased.  After  this,  it  is  placed 
on  a  funeral-pyre,  and  wood  is  piled  around  and  over  it. 
The  nearest  relative  then  takes  a  large  handful  of  straw  and 
light  twigs,  and   kindling   the   bunch  at   the  sacred  fire  kept 

!■  burning  by  the  Domra  near  by,  he  walks  slowly  round 
and  round  the  corpse,  touching   it  on  the  forehead  each  time 

he  passes,  in  token  of  farewell.  Having  circled  it  thus 
for  five  times,  he  thrusts  the  torch  amongst  the  loose  wood 
of  the  pyre,  and  soon  after  the  whole  mass  is  iii  a  blaze. 
When    tin;    body  is  consumed,  the  ashes   are   scattered  in  the 


244  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


Ganges,  and  the  soul  of  the  departed  is  at  rest.     The  crema- 
tion   of  women   is    similar,   in   general,  to   the    above,  but   a 
colored  cloth  is  always  used  to  cover  the  body.     Leaving  our 
boat,  we   proceed    to  Manikarnika,  the    famous    Hindoo   well. 
It    is    said   to    have    been    dug   by  the   god  Vishnu  with  his 
discus,  and  the  deity,  instead  of  water,  filled  it  with  the  per- 
spiration  of  his    own    body,  and    called   it  Chakrapushkarini. 
Soon  after,  the    god  Mahadeva  arrived,  and,  looking  into  this 
well,  beheld    in    it   the    beauty  of  many  suns,  which    so    de- 
lighted him  that   he  promised  Vishnu  to  grant  him  whatever 
gift  he  might  desire.     Vishnu  replied  that  his  wish  was  that 
Mahadeva  should  always  reside  with  him.     Mahadeva  was  so 
pleased  with  this  request,  that  his  body  shook  with  joy,  and 
from  the  violence  of   the  motion  an  ear-ring  called  Manikar- 
naka  fell  from  his  ear  into  the  water  of  the  well.     From  this 
occurrence  the  well  is  called  Manikarnika.      On  each  of  the 
four  sides  of  the  well  is  a  series  of  steps  leading  down  into 
the  water.     The  seven  lowermost  steps  are  said  to  have  been 
made  by  the  god,  and  to  be  without  juncture;   and  although 
several   joinings  are  visible,  it  is  held  by  the  Brahmins  that 
these  are  only  superficial,  and   do    not   penetrate   the   stones. 
In  a  niche  on  the  north  side  is  a  figure  of  Vishnu;   and  on 
the  west  side,  near  the  mouth  of  the  well,  is  a  row  of  six- 
teen   little    altars    on   which    pilgrims    lay   offerings   to   their 
ancestors.      The  water  of  this  well  is  believed  to  possess  the 
power  to  wash  away  every  sin.      It   is  a  stagnant   pool,  full 


CALCUTTA    TO  BENARES.  245 

of  waste  and  decay,  and  the  odors  which  constantly  arise 
from  it  are  sickening.  The  sinner,  descending  the  steps, 
throws  some  of  the  liquid  over  his  body,  and  comes  forth 
forgiven.  Even  murderers  are  thus  fully  absolved  from  their 
guilt. 

Our  guide  next  shows  us  a  large  round  slab,  called  Cha- 
rana-paduka,  which  projects  from  the  pavement.  In  the 
middle  of  it  is  a  stone  pedestal,  the  top  of  which  is  inlaid 
with  marble,  and  contains  two  indentations,  which  are  said 
to  be  the  impressions  of  the  feet  of  the  god  Vishnu  when 
he  alighted  to  worship  the  god  Mahadeva. 

From  here  we  make  our  way  past  Sindhia  Ghat  and  the  Raja 
of  Xagpore's  Ghat  (the  former  of  which  is  continually  sinking 
into  the  bed  of  the  river),  and  then,  re-entering  our  boat,  we 
are  rowed  to  Panchganga  Ghat,  where  we  dismiss  it.  This 
Ghat  is  often  thronged  with  pilgrims,  for  it  is  believed  that 
five  rivers  meet  at  this  spot,  although  only  one  can  be  seen. 
We  ascend  the  Ghat,  and  arrive  at  the  lofty  mosque  of 
Aurungzebe.  This  is  the  highest  building  of  the  city,  and 
!1  tapering  minarets  invariably  arrest  the  eye.  These 
minarets,  eight  in  number,  are  one  hundred  and  forty-seven 
feet  in  height  (reckoning  from  the  floor  of  the  mosque),  and 
eight  feet  in  diameter  at  the  base.  They  lean  fifteen  inches 
from  the  perpendicular.  They  were  originally  some  fifty  feet 
higher  than  they  now  are,  but  they  were  shortened  in  conse- 
quence of  exhibiting  signs  of  weakness  mid   insecurity.    From 


246  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

the  summit  of  one  of  the  towers  we  obtain  a  fine  view  of 
Benares  and  its  suburbs. 

Leaving  the  river-bank,  we  push  our  way  through  the 
narrow  streets,  thronged  with  natives  of  all  castes,  —  all 
with  curious  marks  on  their  foreheads,  placed  there  daily  by 
the  priest  of  the  temple  at  which  they  worship, — past  vener- 
able Brahmins,  and  numbers  of  sacred  bulls  who  wander 
hither  and  thither  unchecked.  Indeed,  travellers  are  foolish 
if  they  endeavor  to  hinder  them,  for  the  bulls  are  believed 
to  be  deities,  and  to  oppose  a  deity  would  soon  create  great 
disturbance.  After  five  minutes'  walk,  we  enter  the  principal 
business  street,  called  Purana  Chauk,  and  make  our  way  to 
the  store  of  Baboo  Debi  Parsad,  to  inspect  his  extensive 
stock  of  shawls  and  cloths,  magnificently  embroidered  with 
gold  and  silver.  Proceeding,  we  enter  the  long  narrow  street 
called  Chauk-hambha,  where  beautifully  enchased  vessels  of 
brass  and  copper  are  to  be  found. 

We  finish  the  morning  with  a  visit  to  the  Nepalese  Temple, 
which  rises  from  the  banks  of  the  Ganges  not  far  from  the 
M&n-Mandil  Ghfit.  This  temple  is  so  peculiarly  Indian,  that 
it  is  utterly  unfit  for  a  lady  to  visit. 

After  tiffin  we  set  out  again,  and  visit  first  the  elephants 
of  the  Ptaja  of  Vizianagram,  whose  palace  is  in  Benares.  "We 
are  told  by  our  guide  that  if  we  will  send  our  cards  to  the 
Raja's  secretary,  we  shall  be  permitted  to  ride  one  of  the 
elephants ;   but  we  have  so  much  else  to  accomplish,  that  we 


CALCUTTA    TO  BENARES.  247 

decline.  "We  proceed  first  to  the  temple  at  Durga  Kuncl. 
The  neighboring  buildings,  the  temple  grounds,  and  the  walls 
and  housetops  in  the  vicinity  literally  swarm  with  monkeys. 
These  are  believed  to  be  gods  and  goddesses,  and  are  care- 
fully fed  by  persons  specially  appointed.  Before  we  reach 
the  temple  grounds,  multitudes  of  them  come  scampering  along 
the  wall,  and,  sitting  down  in  a  line,  chatter  at  us  in  token 
of  welcome.  "We  stop  at  the  entrance-gate  to  purchase  a 
few  handfuls  of  grain,  and,  passing  in,  we  are  soon  surrounded 
by  the  diminutive  proprietors.  What  a  nuisance  they  must 
be  in  the  neighborhood !  Indeed,  the  magistrate  of  Benares 
removed  a  large  number  of  them  to  the  jungle,  a  few  years 
ago.  It  is  said  that  they  steal  constantly  in  all  directions, 
and  injure  the  surrounding  property  in  various  ways.  The 
whole  place  is  given  up  to  these  creatures,  and  they  certainly 
seem  delighted  with  their  lot. 

We  now  retrace  our  steps  to  the  city,  and  stop  at  the 
famous  Well  of  Knowledge,  called  Gyan  Kup,  in  which,  as 
the  natives  believe,  the  god  Shiva  resides.  Multitudes  visit 
well,  and  cast  in  flowers  and  other  gifts,  and  the  odor 
which  comes  from  this  putrid  mass  is  disgusting.  We  soon 
after  arrive  at  the  Golden  Temple,  or  Bisheshwar,  dedicated 
to  the  god  Shiva,  whose  image  is  the  Ungv/rrv,  a  conical  stone 
set  on  end  The  god  of  this  temple  is  the  supreme  deity  of 
Benares,  and  holds  sway  over  all  other  gods  in  the  city. 
The    dome    and    tower    are  covered  with   thin  plates  of  gold, 


248  DOTTIXGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

spread  over  thick  plates  of  copper  overlaying  the  stones  be- 
neath. This  decoration  was  furnished  by  the  late  Maharaja 
Fiimjeet  Singh  of  Lahore.  The  temple  itself  was  built  by 
Ahalva  Bai,  Maharanee  of  Indore. 

Passing  once  more  through  the  narrow  streets  of  the  city, 
we  next  visit  the  famous  "Well  of  Fate,  called  Kal-Kup.  In 
the  roof  of  the  temple  which  surrounds  this  well  is  a  square 
hole,  and  the  rays  of  the  sun,  passing  through  this  opening 
at  twelve  o'clock,  strike  upon  the  water  in  the  well  below. 
At  noon,  multitudes  of  people  visit  the  well ;  and  any  who 
cannot  trace  their  shadows  in  the  fatal  water  will  surely  die 
within  six  months  from  that  instant.  "  The  general  igno- 
rance respecting  the  explanation  of  this  daily  phenomenon 
does  not  speak  much  for  the  scientific  knowledge  of  the 
Hindoos,  or  even  for  their  common-sense."*  As  the  after- 
noon is  now  far  advanced,  we  return  to  the  hotel  for  dinner. 

Dcccmlcr  Q8.  —  Soon  after  breakfast  we  set  out  for  the 
famous  ruins  at  Sarnath,  situated  about  four  miles  from  the 
city.  These  ruins  are  universally  believed  to  be  portions  of 
buildings  erected  in  the  sixth  century  before  Christ,  and  they 
are  said  to  have  been  standing  during  the  early  ministry  of 
the  Great  Buddha.  These  ruins  consist  of  two  towers, — 
situated  about  half  a  mile  apart,  —  and  of  walls  and  founda- 
tions of  other  structures,  which  have  been  lately  excavated. 
"The    great    Stupa,  railed    Dhamek,  is    a   solid   round   tower, 

*   Rev.  M.  A.  SheniiiL'. 


CALCUTTA    TO  BENARES.  249 

ninety-three  feet  in  diameter  at  base,  one  hundred  and  ten 
feet  in  height  above  the  surrounding  ruins,  and  one  hundred 
and  twenty-eight  feet  above  the  general  level  of  the  country. 
The  foundation  or  basement,  which  is  made  of  very  large 
bricks,  has  a  depth  of  twenty-eight  feet  below  the  level  of 
the  ruins,  but  is  sunk  only  ten  feet  below  the  surface  of  the 
country."* 

There  is  one  other  tower  at  Sarnath.  It  is  situated  about 
two  thousand  five  hundred  feet  to  the  south  of  Dhamek,  and 
was  once  called  Chaukandi,  but  is  now  called  Lori-ki-kudan, 
or  Lori's  Leap,  for  a  Hindoo  named  Lori  leaped  from  its 
summit  and  killed  himself.  The  ruin  consists  of  a  mound 
of  solid  brick  work,  seventy-four  feet  in  height,  on  the  top 
<>f  which  is  an  octagonal  building  twenty-three  feet  high, 
built  to  commemorate  the  ascent  of  the  mound  by  the  Em- 
peror  Humayun,  son  of  the  great  Baber,  who  began  his  reign 

A.    D.    1531. 

We  return  to  the  hotel  for  tiffin,  and  at  2  P.  M.  we  leave 
Benares  on  the  Oudh  and  Eohilkund  Eailway,  bound  for 
Lucknow. 

*    For   full   information   in   regard   to   this   interesting  ruin,  see  Report  of 
General  Cunningham,  printed  in  the  Journal  of  the  Asiatic  Society  of 
Bengal,  Volume  XXXII. 


250  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

LUCKNOW,  CAWNPORE,  AND  DELHI. 

Lucknow.  —  The  Kesidency,  and  the  Mutiny  Days  of  1857.  —  Curious 
Buildings. — Cawnpore. — Wheeler's  Entrenchment  and  the  Slaugh- 
ter Ghat.  —  Delhi.  —  The  Fort  and  Palace  of  the  Moguls.  —  The 
Jama  Musjid. — The  Kootub.  —  A  Kautch  Dance.  —  The  Story  of 
the  Siege. 

December  29. —  We  reach  Lucknow  at  half  past  six  this 
morning,  after  a  most  uncomfortable  night  on  the  road.  The 
outer  air  was  very  cold,  and  the  "  accommodation "  in  the 
first-class  cars  scarcely  deserves  the  name.  We  drive  at 
once  to  Hill's  Hotel.  The  cold  is  intense,  the  atmosphere  is 
excessively  damp  and  penetrating,  for  the  sun  has  not  yet 
risen.  Hill's  Hotel  is  kept  in  a  large  rambling  building  built 
by  Xasir-ud-Din  Haidar  for  the  son  of  his  Prime  Minister, 
Eoshan-ud-Daulah,  who  was  Commander-in-Chief  of  his  Maj- 
esty's army.  The  dining-room  is  long  and  lofty,  and  bears 
traces  of  elaborate  decoration. 

Lucknow  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Gumti,  a  river 
which  empties  into  the  Ganges  beyond  Jampur.  The  city  is 
about  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
8ea.  It  is  distant  seven  hundred  and  eighty-one  miles  from 
Calcutta  by  rail,  and    contains  a  population   of  two   hundred 


LUCKXOW,   CAWNPORE,  AND  DELHI.  25  I 

and  seventy-three  thousand ;  it  extends  over  thirteen  square 
miles. 

Lucknow  was  founded  by  the  Hindoos.  In  A.  D.  11  GO 
the  city  was  captured  by  Sayad  Salar,  a  Mohammedan.  The 
modern  town  contains  three  quarters,  —  the  native  portion, 
built  by  Akbar  the  Great  in  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury ;  the  court  suburb,  built  by  Asoof-ud-Dowlah  in  1775  ; 
and  lastly,  to  the  north  and  west,  the  country-houses  of  the 
ex-king  (deposed  in  1856,  and  now  confined  at  Calcutta), 
the  residences  of  the  English  officials,  and  the  cantonments 
of  the  troops. 

Immediately  after  breakfast  we  procure  a  guide  and  pro- 
ceed to  the  ruins  of  the  Eesidency,  situated  about  half  a 
mile  from  the  hotel.  This  is  one  of  the  most  historically 
interesting  spots  in  India,  and  stands  as  an  unchanged  me- 
mento of  the  mutiny  of  1857 ;  bearing  witness  at  once  to 
deeds  of  the  most  heroic  courage  and  endurance,  and  to  suf- 
ferings rarely  equalled  in  the  history  of  the  world. 

The  native  revolt  did  not  spread  to  Lucknow  till  the  29th 
of  June.  On  the  morning  of  that  day  Sir  Henry  Lawrence 
learned  that  a  body  of  rebels  was  advancing  upon  the  city, 
and  on  the  following  morning  a  picked  portion  of  the  gar- 
rison marched  out  to  meet  them.  This  force  consisted  of  500 
infantry,  40  mounted  volunteers,  120  native  troops,  a  detail 
of  artillery  manned  by  native  gunners,  and  an  eight-inch  how- 
itzer drawn  by  an  elephant.     Having  marched  six  miles  from 


252  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

the  city,  the  Englishmen  were  astonished  to  find  a  complete 
army,  composed  of  an  irresistible  force  of  all  arms,  drawn  up 
in  order  of  battle.  The  native  artillerymen,  on  the  side  of  the 
English,  at  once  deserted  their  guns;  the  howitzer  was  imme- 
diately captured  by  the  enemy ;  the  small  British  force  was 
speedily  surrounded ;  Colonel  Case  of  the  Thirty-second  and 
nearly  a  hundred  of  his  men  were  killed ;  and,  but  for  the 
continual  efforts  of  the  mounted  volunteers,  and  the  strange 
omission  on  the  part  of  the  enemy  to  seize  or  destroy  the 
Iron  Bridge,  every  man  would  have  been  slain.  One  hundred 
and  seventy-two  Europeans  were  killed  or  wounded,  including 
thirteen  officers,  —  more  than  half  the  entire  number,  —  and 
the  survivors  had  scarcely  time  to  blow  up  the  Machi  Bhawan 
Fort,  when  they  found  themselves  completely  besieged  in 
the  grounds  of  the  Eesidency.  The  siege  began  on  the  1st 
of  July.  The  garrison  consisted  of  nine  hundred  and  twenty- 
seven  Europeans,  and  seven  hundred  and  sixty-five  natives, 
two  hundred  and  thirty  of  whom  soon  deserted.  On  the 
4th,  the  brave  Lawrence  expired,  killed  by  a  shell  thrown 
from  his  own  lost  howitzer,  which  entered  a  room  in  the 
Eesidency  where  he  was  writing  a  despatch.  The  sufferings 
of  the  besieged  were  terrible.  Deaths  occurred  from  day  to 
day.  When,  on  the  2Gth  of  September,  Havelock  arrived  to 
their  relief,  the  entire  garrison  numbered  only  eleven  hun- 
dred and  seventy-nine,  the  loss  having  been  chiefly  among 
Europeans.      Of  nine  officers  of  the  Bengal  artillery,  five  had 


LUCKNOW,    CAWNPORE,  AXD  DELHI.  253 

fallen ;  eleven  ladies  and  fifty-three  children  had  been  slain, 
or  had  died  of  sickness  and  privation ;  and  from  this  time 
till  the  17th  of  November  (the  date  of  the  final  relief  by 
Sir  Colin  Campbell),  one  hundred  and  twenty-two  more  of  the 
old  garrison  and  four  hundred  of  Havelock's  men  died.  The 
ladies  and  non-combatants  left  on  the  19th  of  November;  and 
on  the  night  of  the  22d,  the  Residency  and  grounds  were 
evacuated  in  silence,  and  the  different  positions  on  the  road 
to  the  Dilkusha  abandoned  in  turn.  On  arriving  at  the  Dil- 
kusha  the  women  were  hospitably  received,  the  sick  wrere 
tenderly  nursed,  and  here  poor  Havelock,  worn  out  with 
care  and  fatigue,  soon  after  died,  leaving  Sir  James  Outram 
to  watch  the  rebels  in  the  Alum  Bagh.  Sir  Colin  Campbell 
conducted  the  survivors  in  safety  to  Allahabad,  which  they 
reached  on  the  7th  of  December. 

The  above  is  a  hurried  narration  of  the  bare  facts  ;  but  it 
is  impossible  for  the  pen  to  fill  out  the  sad  picture.  "Gaz- 
ing to-day  upon  the  peaceful  garden-scene,  one  cannot  realize 
the  tenors  and  tumult  of  those  frightful  mouths.  One  must 
be  contenl  with  imagining  the  roar  of  artillery  and  the  rattle 
of  small  aims,  kept  up  incessantly  from  before  sunrise  for 
more  than  three  hours  daily  by  an  investing  swarm  of  a 
hundred  thousand  relentless  savages;  the  lull  of  the  weary 
noonday;  the  resumption  of  hostilities  in  the  long  afternoon 
at  11    when    Europeans    in    India   are  wont   to    shield 

themselves    from   the   depressing  glare  or  plunging  rain,  and 


254  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

rest  within  cool  houses ;  the  sallies,  the  rallies,  the  mines 
and  countermines ;  the  explosions  of  roofs,  the  downward 
rushes  of  crumbling  masonry ;  and,  worst  of  all,  the  slow 
decay  of  wounds  and  epidemics,  sustained  in  crowded  rooms, 
amid  a  plague  of  flies,  with  insufficient  food ;  finally,  the  in- 
cessant monotony  of  daily  funerals.  Small-pox  was  prevalent ; 
women  brought  forth  children  only  to  bury  them ;  Pole- 
hampton,  the  chaplain,  after  being  shot  through  the  body, 
died  of  cholera,  which  seems  to  have  been  chronic,  especially 
among  non-combatants ;  officers  were  on  several  occasions 
shot  by  the  sentries  inadvertently ;  some  few  even  committed 
suicide.  But  despair  was  the  exception ;  and  the  general  en- 
durance deservedly  received  the  admiration  of  the  world."  * 

Leaving  the  main  road,  we  pause  at  the  gate  of  the  Resi- 
dency, called  the  "  Baillie  Guard,"  from  Colonel  Baillie,  one 
of  the  old  British  Residents,  who  built  it  as  a  defence  to  the 
Residency  in  the  early  part  of  the  present  century.  The 
stones  of  the  archway  are  riddled  with  shot  and  shell,  bear- 
ing witness  to  the  fierce  and  incessant  cannonade  which  was 
poured  upon  the  whole  place.  Passing  in,  the  large  ruined 
building  on  the  right  is  the  Residency  proper,  in  which 
Lawrence  received  his  death-wound.  In  the  cellars  under- 
neath many  women  and  children  lived  during  the  whole 
siege.  Adjoining  is  a  watchtower  where  man  after  man  was 
shot    down.      On    the    left    is  Dr.  Fayrer's  house,  the   under- 

*   H.  G.   Keene'a  Handbook  to  Lucknow. 


LCCKXOV,   CAWXPORE,  AND  DELHI.  255 

ground  rooms  of  which  also  harbored  women  and  children. 
These  buildings,  with  the  exception  of  portions  of  the  walls, 
are  completely  battered  to  pieces.  Near  by  is  a  cross 
erected  to  the  memory  of  Sir  Henry  Lawrence.  This  monu- 
ment is  very  unsatisfactory  in  itself,  and,  considering  that 
the  whole  place  as  it  stands  to-day  is  a  glorious  remembrance 
of  the  hero,  this  little  decoration,  perched  on  the  highest  hill 
in  the  grounds,  is  unnecessary  and  in  bad  taste. 

To  the  north  stood  the  Redan  battery  which  commanded 
the  Iron  Bridge  (already  mentioned).  This  was  held  through- 
out the  whole  siege  by  Lieutenant  Lawrence  of  the  Thirty- 
second  Foot.  The  next  house  was  occupied  by  Mr.  Martin 
Gubbins,  C.  S.,  and  was  defended  by  Major  Ashton,  Forty- 
first  X.  I.  Xear  by  is  the  Brigade  Mess-house,  and,  to  the 
right,  the  famous  Sikh  Square,  blown  up  by  the  rebels. 

We  now  come  to  the  Cawnpore  battery.     This  was  exposed 

to  the  hottest  fire  of  the  enemy,  and  was  considered  so  dan- 

lus    that    it   was   held   by  volunteers,  or  by  men   detailed 

from  day  to  day  according  to  the  roster.     A  neighboring  post 

was  guarded  by  sixty-five  boys  from  the  Martiniere  school. 

In  the  adjoining   cemetery  rests  Lawrence.     His  tombstone 

bears  the  following  inscription:  — 

Here  Lies 

II 1  m;v  Lawrence 

Who  tried  to  do  his  duty.* 

May  the  Lord  have  mercy  <m  liis  soul. 

Born  28  June  1806.     Died  July  i  1857. 

These  were  hie  last  wonts.     The  succeeding  sentence  seems  oul  of  place. 


256  DOTTIXGS  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

Leaving  the  Residency  we  call  a  garry  and  are  driven  to 
Hosenabad.  Passing  under  a  curious  gate,  built  in  the  Sara- 
cenic style,  we  enter  a  large  quadrangle,  at  the  upper  end  of 
which  is  the  main  building.  This  is  a  large  edifice  with  pol- 
ished nimble  floor  and  vaulted  dome.  It  contains  a  great 
collection  of  mirrors,  chandeliers,  and  all  sorts  of  glittering 
ornaments.  To  the  left  is  a  white  building  intended  as  a  copy 
of  the  famous  Taj  of  Agra. 

From  here  we  proceed  to  the  Lall  Baradari.  This  was  the 
Public  Hall  of  Iieception  of  the  old  native  rulers.  On  the 
death  of  the  old  King  Nasir-ud-Din,  in  July,  1837,  the  Queen 
Dowager  declared  that  a  youth  named  Munna  Jan  was  the 
heir  to  the  throne.  This  the  British  denied,  and  insisted  that 
the  succession  devolved  upon  the  uncle  of  the  late  king,  an 
old  man  named  Mahomed  Ali.  The  Queen  Dowager  and  the 
pretender,  accompanied  by  multitudes  of  followers,  entered  the 
Lall  Baradari  and  ascended  the  throne.  The  English  com- 
mander, Colonel  Low,  with  his  soldiers,  surrounded  the  build- 
ing, and  sent  word  to  the  Begum  that  if  the  hall  was  not 
evacuated  in  fifteen  minutes  the  soldiers  would  be  ordered  to 
storm  the  premises.  ~No  notice  of  this  was  taken,  and  a  com- 
pany of  the  Thirty-fifth  dashed  into  the  hall.  As  they  ad- 
vanced with  fixed  bayonets  they  saw  themselves  reflected  in 
a  large  mirror  hanging  behind  the  throne,  and,  believing  that 
an  opposing  band  was  charging  towards  them,  they  poured  a 
fierce  volley  into  the  looking-glass.     This  put  the  mob  to  flight. 


LUCKXOW,   CAWXPORE,  AND  DELHI.  257 


The  Begum  and  her  prote'gg  were  arrested  and  the  old  uncle 
was  proclaimed  king.  To  the  Lall  Baradari,  also,  came  Lord 
Canning  to  meet  the  Talukadars  of  Oudh,  and  to  announce 
to  them  the  forgiveness  of  the  Queen  of  England  and  the  terms 
of  their  future  allegiance. 

"We  visit  next  the  curious  Chattar  Manzal,  or  Umbrella-house, 
so  called  from  a  grotesque  gilt  ornament  which  crowns  the 
summit.  This  was  the  harem  of  the  King  Nasir-ud-Din.  In 
the  time  of  the  mutiny  it  was  surrounded  by  a  high  wall, 
which  was  originally  intended  to  secure  the  retirement  of  its 
inmates.  During  Havelock's  advance  it  was  the  scene  of  a 
severe  cannonade.  The  best  rooms  are  now  used  for  the  United 
Service  Club,  the  Theatre  and  Assembly  Eooms,  and  the 
Public  Library. 

"We  now  arrive  at  the  Kaisar  Bagh.  Passing  under  a  gate 
over  which  are  the  double  fish,  the  family  arms  of  the  founder, 
we  cross  a  court-yard  and  soon  reach  the  group  of  buildings 
erected  in  1850  by  Wajid  Ali  Shah,  at  a  cost  of  eight  hundred 
thousand  pounds  sterling.  As  to  the  architecture,  the  effect 
11I'  the  whole  is  spoiled  by  the  gaudiness  of  the  decorations. 
Mr.  Keene  'alls  it  "a  stucco  Louvre,  in  which  Italian  and 
Moorish  styles  blend  in  a  manner  that  is  more  grotesque  than 

efill  ;  and  when;  gilding  and  ochre  and  whitewash  tend 
to  give  a  strange  appearance  of  the  theatre  to  the  'residency' 
of  this  Oriental  G-erolstein." 

We   visit   now  the  Kadam  Rasul,  a  plain  tomb-like   struc- 


258  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

tare  covered  with  a  dome.  It  is  called  Kadam  Easul,  or 
Apostle's  Step,  from  the  fact  that  it  is  said  to  contain  a  stone 
marked  with  the  sacred  footprint,  and  brought  from  Mecca. 
It  was  built  by  the  first  king  of  Oudh,  Ghazi-ud-Din  Haidar. 
In  the  mutiny  it  was  held  first  by  the  rebels,  but  was  cap- 
tured without  difficulty  by  General  Campbell.  Our  guide 
thus  laconically  describes  the  scene :  "  English  out  of  sight, 
rebels  walk  about ;    English  come  up,  rebels  run  away." 

Continuing  our  way  we  reach  Sikandar  Bagh,  a  large  walled 
enclosure  called  after  the  Sikandar  Begum.  To  the  right  of 
the  gate  is  a  place  where  the  wall  was  breached  during  the 
advance  of  Sir  Colin  Campbell,  on  the  lGth  of  November, 
1857.  The  Ninety-third  Highlanders,  with  some  British  and 
Sikh  Infantry,  rushed  in  and  bayoneted  the  enemy.  Near 
by  is  Wingfield  Park,  called  after  Sir  Charles  Wingfield,  M.  P., 
a  former  Chief  Commissioner. 

We  next  visit  the  Martiniere.  This  is  the  former  residence 
of  General  Claude  Martin,  a  native  of  Lyons,  who,  after  a 
very  varied  career,  died  in  Lucknow  in  1800,  leaving  over 
four  hundred  thousand  pounds,  the  larger  portion  of  which  he 
bequeathed  to  the  cities  of  Lucknow,  Lyons,  and  Calcutta,  for 
the  foundation  of  schools.  General  Martin  also  left  special 
directions  that  his  torn!)  should  be  erected  in  one  of  the  apart- 
ments of  this  building,  knowing  that  Musulmen  would  then 
never  violate  the  premises.  His  body  rests  in  a  vaulted 
chamber  in  the  basement.     The   building   is   used  as  a  boys' 


LUCKNOW,   CAWNPORE,  AND  DELHI.  259 

school.  It  is  a  large  and  curious  structure,  with  numerous 
statues  on  the  outside.  In  front,  near  a  lake,  is  an  Ionic 
column. 

The  Dil  Kusha,  or  Heart's  Delight,  is  our  next  stopping- 
place.  This  was  built  for  a  residence  by  the  Nawab  Saadat 
in  the  early  part  of  the  century.  It  was  captured  from  the 
rebels  in  1857  by  Colonel  Hamilton  of  the  Seventy-eighth.  To 
this  place  (as  I  have  said)  the  rescued  garrison  were  carried 
from  the  Residency. 

We  finish  our  tour  of  the  city  by  visiting  the  Alum  Bagh. 
This  was  erected  by  King  Wajid  Ali  as  an  occasional  residence 
for  a  favorite  wife.  It  consisted  of  a  large  pavilion  and  several 
adjoining  buildings.  It  was  captured  by  Havelock  from  the 
rebels  on  the  23d  of  September.  It  then  became  a  convales- 
cent depot.  Here  Havelock  was  buried;  and  here  Sir  James 
Outram  remained,  after  it  was  found  necessary  to  evacuate 
Lucknow,  till  the  final  relief  in  March,  1858. 

On  our  way  back  to  the  hotel  we  walk  through  the  prin- 
cipal business  street  of  the  town.  Here  we  find  several  arti- 
cles foi  which  the  place  is  noted,  —  caps  and  slippers  exquis- 
itely embroidered  in  gold  and  silver,  and  a  pattern  of  "bangles" 
which  is  only  produced  in  this  city. 

We  leave  Lucknow  at  8  p.  M.  and  reach  Cawnpore  at  mid- 
night. 

Ihnnihrr  30.  —  Cawnpore  is  situated  on  the  Ganges  River, 
six    hundred   and  eighty-four  miles  from  Calcutta   and   forty- 


260  DOTTIXGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

two  miles  from  Lucknow.  It  contains  a  population  of  one 
hundred  and  sixteen  thousand.  It  is  now  an  important  mili- 
tary station,  and  carries  on  an  extensive  trade.  A  railroad 
bridge  over  the  Ganges  is  soon  to  take  the  place  of  the  pres- 
ent bridge  of  boats. 

The  story  of  Cawnpore  in  the  mutiny  days  will  always 
give  a  sad  but  deep  interest  to  the  place. 

In  the  year  1852,  Bajee  Rao,  the  last  Peishwa  of  the 
Mahratta  confederacy,  died,  leaving  all  his  property  to  his 
adopted  son,  Dhoondoo  Punth,  commonly  called  Nana  Sahib. 
The  government  of  Lord  Dalhousie,  however,  at  once  an- 
nounced that  the  titular  dignity  had  ceased,  and,  though 
Nana  Sahib  should  inherit  the  property,  the  pension  and 
official  salute  of  the  Peishwaship  would  be  discontinued. 
For  the  next  five  years  Nana  used  every  effort  to  change 
this  decree,  and,  smarting  under  a  sense  of  wrong,  he  heard 
of  the  outbreak  at  Delhi  with  joy,  and,  being  on  intimate 
terms  with  the  English,  knew  that  he  was  in  a  position  to 
obtain  as  complete  revenge  as  his  long-continued  and  un- 
noticed injuries  seemed  to  demand. 

On  the  morning  of  the  Gth  of  June,  1857,  the  native 
troops  mutinied  and  marched  out  to  Kalianpur,  the  first 
stage  on  the  Delhi  road,  evidently  with  the  intention  of 
eventually  joining  the  main  body  of  mutineers.  The  English 
garrison,  under  the  command  of  Sir  Hugh  Massey  Wheeler, 
consisted  of  the  following  force  :  one  battery  of  six  guns,  with 


LUCKNOW,   CAWNPORE,  AND  DELHI.  261 

fifty-nine  men ;  sixty  of  the  Eighty-fourth  Infantry ;  seventy- 
fouT  invalids  of  the  Thirty-second;  and  fifteen  of  the  First 
Madras  Fusiliers.  The  native  troops  consisted  of  the  Second 
Cavalry,  the  First,  Fifty-third,  and  Fifty-sixth  N.  I.,  and  the 
native  gunners  attached  to  the  Lattery.  The  entire  European 
population  numbered  seven  hundred  and  fifty  souls. 

Sir  Hugh  "Wheeler  took  his  followers,  combatant  and  non- 
combatant,  into  a  refuge  that  he  had  prepared  for  them  in  the 
depot-barracks,  standing  where  the  new  church  is  now  built. 
These  consisted  of  two  long  barracks  of  one  story  each,  each 
built  fur  the  accommodation  of  one  company.  One  was 
thatched,  both  were  surrounded  with  verandas,  and  the 
inner  walls  were  of  brick,  a  foot  and  a  half  in  thickness. 
Aruund  this  shelter  a  trench  was  dug,  and  the  earth  thrown 
up  to  form  a  parapet  about  five  feet  in  height.  The  guns 
pointed  through  openings,  and  were  entirely  without  protec- 
tion. The  whole  place  was  about  two  hundred  yards  square, 
and  was  armed  with  ten  field-pieces  of  different  calibres. 
Provisions  had  been  obtained  calculated  to  last  for  thirty 
days. 

It  was  now  the  Nana's  turn.  Although  he  had  been  for 
the  last  few  years  continually  petitioning  for  a  restoration  of 
Id's  predecessor's  honors,  ho  had  always  used  such  tact  that 
tin'  English,  so  I'm-  from  regarding  him  as  an  enemy,  put 
him  in  charge,  at  tin's  critical  period,  of  the  arsenal,  magazine, 
park,  and  treasury!     Thus  extraordinarily  favored  by  fortune, 


262  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

his  revenge  was  easy.  Following  the  rebels  who  had  de- 
parted to  Kalianpur,  he  quickly  persuaded  them  to  return 
and  attack  the  British  at  once,  instead  of  proceeding  to  their 
fellow-mutineers  at  Delhi.  On  the  very  day  that  Sir  Hugh 
Wheeler  entered  the  entrenchment,  the  Nana  declared  his 
rebellion.  Summoning  an  overwhelming  body  of  natives,  he 
surrounded  the  little  band  of  Europeans  on  all  sides,  and 
formally  opened  the  siege  on  the  7th  of  June. 

For  three  dreadful  weeks  the  little  garrison  struggled  on. 
With  many  sick  and  dying,  without  medicines  or  hospital 
stores,  and  short  of  ammunition,  they  were  subjected  to  a 
continual  bombardment  from  without,  and  to  hunger  and  dis- 
tress within.  The  brave  men,  however,  did  not  suffer  them- 
selves to  be  simply  besieged.  Many  sorties  were  made,  and 
several  of  the  enemy's  guns  were  spiked  and  captured. 
Deaths,  however,  occurred  frequently.  Men,  women,  and 
children  sank  under  the  prolonged  sufferings;  and  when,  on 
the  26th,  the  Nana  offered  to  treat,  the  survivors  accepted 
the  proposition. 

It  was  agreed  that  the  Europeans  should  depart,  under 
the  Nana's  escort,  to  Allahabad,  and  boats  were  provided  to 
convey  them  thither.  The  scenes  that  followed  are  well  de- 
scribed by  Keene :  "  On  the  fatal  morning  of  the  27th  of 
June,  the  survivors  proceeded  to  embark.  It  is  not  possible 
to  dwell  upon  the  events  connected  with  this  episode  with 
calmness.     The   facts  far  exceeded   all   that   the   imagination 


LUCKNOW,   CAWNPORE,  AND  DELHI.  263 

could  conceive.  Immediately  on  the  embarkation  of  the  de- 
luded and  now  helpless  people  who  left  the  enclosure  in  the 
early  dawn  of  the  morning,  there  followed  the  most  dastardly 
piece  of  treachery  that  has  perhaps  ever  been  perpetrated. 
Only  a  portion  of  the  party  had  taken  their  places  in  the 
boats,  when,  by  previous  arrangement,  the  boatmen  set  the 
thatched  coverings  of  the  boats  on  fire,  and  rushed  on  to  the 
bank.  A  heavy  fire  of  grape  and  musketry  was  then  opened 
on  the  Europeans.  Out  of  thirty  boats,  two  only  managed  to 
start ;  one  of  these  was  shortly  swamped  by  round-shot,  but 
its  passengers  were  enabled  to  reach  the  leading  boat.  Of 
those  on  board  the  other  twenty-eight  boats,  some  were  killed, 
some  drowned,  and  the  rest  brought  back  prisoners.  Of  the 
fugitives  who  quitted  their  weak  position  but  a  few  hours 
before,  only  fifty  had  contrived  to  escape  for  the  time,  though 
it  was  in  the  case  of  the  larger  portion  only  to  die  shortly 
alter.  The  boat  they  occupied  was  under  an  incessant  gall- 
ing fire  from  both  banks,  but  it  pursued  its  course  till  it 
grounded  at  the  distance  of  six  miles.  All  the  night  of  that 
eventful  and  trying  day  continued  the  struggle  for  life,  amid 
hopes  ami  fears  of  which  we  can  form  but  a  very  slight  con- 
ception. Early  on  the  following  morning  the  miserable  occu- 
pants of  the  frail  bark  managed  to  push  on  till  the  boat 
in  grounded.  They  were  again  attacked,  and  a  number 
were  killed;  but  the  assailants  were  driven  off,  and  retired 
to  Cawnpore.    The   Nana   then   immediately  despatched  two 


264  DOTTING S  ROUXD   THE   CIRCLE. 

complete  regiments  in  pursuit.  As  it  was  found  impracticable 
to  move  the  boat,  a  party  of  fourteen  landed  to  drive  back 
their  assailants,  which  they  did  most  effectually.  Of  these 
fourteen  but  four  survived,  —  one  now  Colonel  Mowbray 
Thompson,  —  to  tell  '  the  story  of  Cawnpore ' ;  those  left  in 
the  boat  were  brought   back  and    shared   the  subsequent  fate 

of  all  the  others At  last  came  the  order  to  cease  from 

slaughter,  and  the  miserable  survivors  were  driven  off." 

How  different  the  scene  of  this  massacre,  as  it  lies  before 
us  to-day !  The  little  temple  near  the  water's  edge  (near 
which  was  the  ambush)  still  stands,  riddled  with  bullets,  as 
if  bearing  witness  to  the  dastardly  deeds ;  near  by,  however, 
are  several  neat  bungalows ;  the  Ganges  flows  peacefully 
along  on  its  course ;  natives  are  leading  cattle  to  drink  in 
its  waters  ;  a  party  of  boatmen  are  chanting  their  peculiar 
monotone  as  they  endeavor  to  pull  their  boat  out  of  the 
stream ;  and  the  calm  quiet  and  serenity  which  seem  to  per- 
vade the  spot  are  greatly  in  contrast  to  the  rattle  of  artillery, 
the  groans  of  the  wounded  and  dying,  and  the  exultant 
shouts  of  the  treacherous  natives,  the  remembrance  of  which 
will  always  bring  a  pang  to  every  civilized  nation  in  the  world. 

On  the  site  of  Wheeler's  entrenchment  now  stands  the 
Memorial  Church.  This  edifice  is  in  the  Romanesque  style, 
and  is  built  of  brick  and  stone  in  the  form  of  a  cross,  with 
a  tapering  belfry  at  one  end.  The  interior  contains  a  beau- 
tiful wheel-window   and  one  or  two  memorial  windows ;    and 


LUCKNOW,   CAWNPORE,  AND  DELHI.  265 

many  tablets  are  placed  on  the  walls,  erected  to  different 
victims  of  the  mutiny.  In  short,  the  church  is  both  pleasing 
and  displeasing ;  satisfactory  in  part,  and  yet  disappointing 
in  several  details.  It  was  originally  intended  to  defray  the 
cost  by  private  subscription,  but  a  large  portion  of  it  has 
been  paid  by  the  government.  H.  H.  the  Maharaja  of  Jodh- 
pur  has  contributed  white  marble  slabs  for  the  flooring  of 
the  chancel;  a  handsome  brass  lectern  has  been  given  by 
Mrs.  W.  C.  Plowden ;  and  the  employes  of  the  East  Indian 
Railway  have  presented  a  sum  of  money  in  memory  of  those 
of  their  body  who  fell  in  the  siege. 

Two  tablets  in  the  interior  of  the  church  should  be  men- 
tioned ;  one  for  its  peculiar  sadness,  the  other  for  its  appro- 
priateness. The  first  reads :  "  In  memory  of  Mrs.  Moore, 
Mrs.  Wainright,  Miss  Wainright,  Mrs.  Hill,  forty-three  sol- 
diers' wives,  and  fifty-five  children  murdered  in  Cawnpore  in 
June,  1857."  The  other  tablet  commemorates  the  death  of  a 
score  of  officers  and  soldiers,  and  underneath  it  are  the  words, 
•  Vengeance  is  mine,  I  will  repay,  saith  the  Lord." 

The  last  act  in  the  Cawnpore  tragedy  remains  to  be  told. 
Of  all  the  multitude  that  started  down  the  river  in  boats, 
four  only,  as  I  have  said,  escaped.  The  other  survivors  were 
driven  to  the  quarters  of  the  Nana.  The  women  and  chil- 
dren were  placed  for  the  time  in  a  building  called  the 
Savada  Kotee;  the  men  were  shot  on  the  parade-ground. 
About    ten    days    lateT   there  was  a  general  move  nearer  the 


266  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

town.  The  Nana  took  up  bis  quarters  in  a  house  used  as  a 
hotel ;  the  women  and  children,  with  some  officers  who  had 
been  lately  captured  elsewhere,  were  put  into  a  house  near 
the  bank  of  the  river,  called  Beebeeghur.  Coarse  food  and 
furniture  were  given  them,  and  the  women  were  ordered  to 
grind  corn. 

Here  they  remained  till  the  loth  of  July.  The  sufferings 
of  these  poor  creatures  can  only  be  imagined.  A  Bengalee 
apothecary  attended  them  for  a  few  days,  and  his  journal 
(afterwards  found)  proves  that  births  and  deaths  were  fre- 
quent among  them.  A  thorough  subsequent  investigation 
satisfied  the  English  officials,  however,  that  dishonor  was  not 
added  to  the  other  horrors  of  those  fearful  days. 

On  the  11th  of  July,  the  prisoners  were  joined  by  other 
unfortunates.  Colonel  Smith  of  the  Tenth  N.  I.,  with  a  party 
of  refugees  of  both  sexes,  was  captured  the  day  before  at 
Bithoor,  passing  down  the  river  in  a  boat  from  Futtehgurh. 
These,  to  the  number  of  fifty-five  (chiefly  women  and  chil- 
dren), were  put  in  the  palace  at  Bithoor  for  the  night.  On 
the  next  day  they  were  obliged  to  march  over  twelve  miles 
in  the  fierce  sun,  to  receive  sentence  from  the  Nana  at 
(;iwnpore.  Colonel  Smith  and  Judge  Thornhill,  with  the 
women  and  children,  were  thrown  into  the  Beebeeghur,  already 
crowded  with  the  other  captives.  The  rest  of  the  men  were 
Immediately  shot. 

The   Nana's   triumph,   however,    was    nearly   over,   and   he 


LUCKNOW,   CA1VXP0RE,  AND  DELHI.  267 

signalized  the  close  of  his  power  by  one  of  the  most  fright- 
ful acts  of  vengeance  that  has  ever  been  chronicled  in  his- 
tory. Soon  after  the  capture  of  Colonel  Smith,  the  English 
obtained  possession  of  Futtehpore.  On  the  morning  of  the 
loth,  a  fresh  disaster  to  the  natives  occurred  at  Aoung.  The 
news  of  the  steady  advance  of  the  avenging  British  was 
brought  to  the  Nana  early  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day. 
The  Nana  and  his  suite  gathered  in  council  to  determine 
what  disposition  should  be  made  of  the  prisoners.  The  mat- 
ter was  soon  decided ;  the  captives  were  to  be  put  to  death. 
At  sundown  four  of  the  male  prisoners  were  (at  the  special 
order  of  the  Nana)  taken  out  of  the  Beebeeghur  and  murdered 
on  the  high  road.  Then  the  general  slaughter  was  begun. 
Volleys  were  first  fired  into  the  Beebeeghur  through  the  doors 
and  windows ;  and  then  the  savages,  rushing  in  among  the 
captives  with  drawn  swords,  completed  the  fiendish  massacre. 
At  length  the  work  was  finished,  and  the  doors  were  closed. 
The  Nana  was  living  in  an  old  hotel  within  fifty  yards  of 
this  house.  It  is  said  that  he  ordered  a  nautch,  and  passed  the 
night  in  feasting  and  revelry.  At  daybreak  he  ordered  the 
Beebeeghur  to  be  cleared.  It  is  estimated  that  it  contained 
nearly  two  hundred  dead  bodies.  These  were  stripped,  and 
the  majority  cast  into  a  well  near  by.  The  remainder  were 
hurled  into  the  ( ranges. 

Mr.  Sherer,  who  arrived  at  Cawnpore   soon   after   the  sup- 
ion   of  the   rebellion,  says   in  his   report:  "Thence  we 


268  DOTTIXGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

were  directed  to  the  Beebeeghur  and  well.  And  then  broke 
upon  our  eyes  that  dreadful  spectacle,  over  the  very  idea  of 
which    there    are    still    broken    spirits    and    widowed    hearts 

mourning    terror-stricken    in    distant   England There 

were  no  dead  bodies,  except  in  the  well.  The  well  was 
narrow  and  deep ;  and,  looking  down,  you  could  only  see  a 
tangled  mass  of  human  limbs  entirely  without  clothing." 

As  soon  as  order  was  restored,  Lord  Canning  resolved  to 
erect  a  memorial  on  this  sad  spot.  Mr.  C.  B.  Thornhill,  at 
that  time  Commissioner  of  the  Division  (who  had  lost  two 
brothers  in  the  mutiny),  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  work. 
He  was  commanded  to  devise  a  structure  that  should  protect 
the  fatal  well  and  preserve  its  site ;  while  the  Viceroy,  at 
his  own  expense,  ordered  a  memorial  statue  of  Baron  Maro- 
chetti.  The  result  is  as  follows  :  on  a  pedestal  built  over 
the  well  is  a  large  figure  of  the  Angel  of  Pity.  A  Gothic 
wall  with  iron  doors  surrounds  the  premises.  Near  by  is  a 
well-kept  garden. 

The  statue  is  pleasing  and  appropriate,  but  the  curious 
wall  around  it  is  cheap  looking  and  unnecessary.  Over  the 
portal  of  the  door  is  this  inscription:  "These  are  they  which 
came  out  of  great  tribulation";  and  around  the  well  are 
these  words  :  "  Sacred  to  the  perpetual  memory  of  the  great 
company  of  Christian  people,  chiefly  women  and  children, 
who  near  this  spot  were  cruelly  massacred  by  the  followers 
of  the  rebel  Nana  Dhoondoo  Tunth  of  Bithoor;  and  cast,  the 


LUCKNOW,   CAWNPORE,  AND  DELHI.  269 

dying  with  the  dead,  into  the  well  below,  on  the  15th  day 
of  July,  1857." 

We  leave  Cawnpore  at  half  past  two  on  the  East  Indian 
Railway. 

December  31. — At  seven  o'clock  this  morning  we  come  in 
sight  of  Delhi.  The  first  view  of  the  city  from  the  railway 
is  very  picturesque.  Before  us  are  the  high  walls  of  strong 
fortifications,  tall  columns,  and  bulbous  domes.  Indeed,  the 
railway  itself,  after  crossing  the  Jumna  on  a  strong  girder- 
bridge,  and  passing  directly  through  the  old  fort  of  Suleem- 
gurh,  rushes  close  to  the  great  Eed  Castle  of  Shahjuhan,  and 
finally  lands  the  traveller  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Queen's 
Gardens. 

The  present  city  of  Delhi  was  founded  in  1631  by  Shah- 
juhan. It  is  built  within  red  granite  walls,  forty  feet  high, 
and  seven  miles  in  circumference.  The  city  is  situated  on 
the  Jumna  liiver,  one  thousand  and  nineteen  miles  north- 
of  Calcutta,  and  eight  hundred  and  seventy  miles  from 
Bombay.  It  contains  a  population  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand.  The  city  was  ravaged  by  Nadir  Shah  in  1739, 
who  took  one  hundred  and  twenty  million  pounds  of  spoil 
back  to  Persia.  The  fall  of  the  nominal  sovereigns  of  Delhi 
iicceeded  September  1,  1858,  by  a  proclamation  of  au- 
thority from  the  Queen  of  England. 

After  breakfasting  at  the  United  Service  Hotel,  we  set  out 
for  a  tour    of   the    city,  accompanied   by  Baboo  Budree  Das, 


2-JO  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  hotel,  a  very  intelligent  Hindoo 
of  high  caste,  who  speaks  English  perfectly,  and  is  thoroughly 
posted  on  all  points  of  interest  in  and  around  Delhi.*  Pass- 
ing out  of  the  southeast  or  Delhi  Gate,  we  drive  southward, 
with  the  Jumna  Eiver  on  our  left,  bound  for  Feerozabad. 
After  a  drive  of  a  half-hour  we  arrive  at  the  Kotila  of 
Feeroz  Shah  Toghluk,  with  the  stone  pillar.  This  is  situated 
in  the  midst  of  ruins,  and  is  a  single  shaft  of  sandstone, 
about  forty-two  feet  high,  and  covered  with  inscriptions. 
The  ruins  of  the  palace  of  Feeroz  surround  it.  The  old  city 
of  Feeroz  was  about  six  miles  long  and  two  broad,  and  is 
said  to  have  contained  a  population  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand.  From  here  we  proceed  to  another  portion  of 
Feerozabad,  called  Indraput. 

We  visit  next  Homayoon's  tomb.  It  was  begun  by  this 
emperor's  widow,  Hajee  Begum,  and  completed  by  his  son; 
it  is  said  that  two  hundred  workmen  were  employed  upon  it 
for  sixteen  years,  and  that  its  total  cost  was  fifteen  lacs  of 
rupees  ($  750,000).  It  is  built  of  red  stone  in  the  form  of  a 
square,  with  a  fine  marble  dome,  and  contains  a  large  central 
hall.  Here,  in  1857,  Major  Hodson  and  Lieutenant  Mac- 
dowell    shot   the    two    sons    of  the   Ex-King  Bahadoor  Shah, 


*  Let  me,  however,  warn  travellers  not  to  advance  this  man  any  money  for 
expenses  on  the  road,  but  to  pay  all  such  themselves,  for  the  way  the  Baboo 
distributes  rupees  among  the  populace  must  give  them  the  idea  that  those 
he  is  .serving  are  princes  in  disguise. 


LUCKXOW,   CAWXPORE,  AND  DELHI.  27 1 

who  had  taken  refuge  in  this  place  after  the  mutiny.  The 
side  chambers  contain  the  tombs  of  several  of  the  house  of 
Timoor. 

Continuing  our  way  we  arrive  at  the  tomb  of  Shah  Niza- 
moodeen.  In  regard  to  this  man  there  is  much  uncertainty. 
He  served  under  the  Emperor  Ala-ood-deen  Khilji  towards 
the  end  of  the  thirteenth  century.  He  is  said  by  some  to 
have  been  a  sorcerer ;  by  others,  a  member  of  the  dangerous 
Secret  Society  of  Khorasan ;  and  it  is  even  alleged  that  he 
was  the  founder  of  Thuggism. 

The  first  building  in  this  cemetery  contains  the  tomb  of 
the  foster-brother  of  the  great  Akbar.  It  is  a  fine  marble 
hall  supported  by  pillars,  which  form  graceful  groined  arches. 
On  each  side  is  a  carved  screen  of  white  marble. 

Next  comes  the  tomb  of  Nizamooden.  This  is  surrounded 
by  a  veranda  of  white  marble,  and  the  sarcophagus  is  en- 
closed by  a  marble  screen.  At  the  head  of  the  grave  is  a 
stand  with  a  koran. 

Not  far  oil'  is  the  tomb  of  Juhanara  Begum.  The  sarcoph- 
agus is  likewise  enclosed  by  a  marble  screen.  Juhanara  was 
the  daughter  of  the  Emperor  Shahjuhan.  She  is  said  to  have 
1  ••••11  a  woman  of  remarkable  talents  and  virtues.  She  was 
the  Bistei  "I'  Dara  Sheko,  heir-apparent  to  Shahjuhan,  who 
waa  murdered  by  his  younger  brother  Aurungzeb,  who  then 
deposed  his  father  and  proclaimed  himself  emperor.  Juhanara 
refused  to  reside  at  the  court  of   her  wicked  brother,  but  re- 


272  DOTTIXGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

mained  with  her  father  at  Agra.  It  is  believed  that  she  was 
removed  to  Delhi  and  murdered  at  the  command  of  Aurung- 
zeb.  On  her  tomb  are  these  words,  said  to  have  been  written 
by  herself:  "Let  no  rich  coverlet  adorn  my  grave;  this  grass 
is  the  best  covering  for  the  tomb  of  the  poor  in  spirit,  the 
humble,  the  transitory  Juhanara,  the  disciple  of  the  holy  men 
of  Cheest,  the  daughter  of  the  Emperor  Shahjuhan."  The  top 
of  the  grave  is  covered  with  a  growth  of  coarse  grass.  The 
carved  marble  screen  around  it  is  an  exquisite  piece  of  work- 
manship. Near  by  is  the  Bowlee,  or  well-house,  a  large,  deep 
tank  of  water,  into  which  little  boys  jump  from  great  heights, 
for  small  coins. 

Turning  now  to  the  east,  we  set  out  for  Toghlukabad. 
After  riding  for  a  little  distance  in  the  carriage,  we  are 
obliged  to  change  our  conveyance,  as  the  road  is  only  suitable 
for  native  bullock-carts,  called  tanjahs.  These  vehicles  are 
drawn  by  two  bullocks,  who  travel  at  the  rate  of  ten  miles 
an  hour;  but  the  tanjahs  are  but  little  better  than  the  terri- 
ble Chinese  carts,  and  I  advise  travellers  who  wish  to  visit 
Toghlukabad  to  accomplish  the  last  part  of  the  way  on 
horseback. 

Toghlukabad,  the  massive  citadel  of  the  Emperor  Toghluk 
Shall,  was  begun  A.  D.  1321,  and  finished  two  years  later. 
The  fort  is  built  on  rising  ground,  and  is  a  half-hexagon  in 
shape,  witli  three  faces  of  three  quarters  of  a  mile  in  length 
each,  aud  a  base  of   one    mile    and  a  half,  the  whole    circuit 


LUCKXOW,   CAWNPORE,  AND  DELHI.  273 

being  nearly  four  miles.  It  is  constructed  of  immense  blocks 
of  stone,  is  surrounded  on  several  sides  by  water,  and  the 
rampart  walls  are  pierced  with  loop-holes  for  light  and  de- 
fence. The  fort  has  thirteen  gates,  and  contains  a  well  cut  in 
the  solid  rock  to  a  depth  of  eighty  feet;  inside  the  walls,  too, 
are  the  ruins  of  the  founder's  palace,  and  many  ruined  houses. 

Standing  on  the  citadel,  one  realizes  the  important  position 
the  fort  held  in  the  past.  In  the  distance  is  Delhi;  and  at 
our  feet  a  beautiful  grassy  plain,  where,  indeed,  the  Prince 
of  Wales  is  to  hold  a  grand  review  in  about  two  weeks. 
Opposite  us  is  the  tomb  of  Toghluk  Shah. 

Leaving  the  fort,  we  cross  over  to  the  tomb.  The  two  are 
connected  by  a  causeway  six  hundred  feet  long.  The  tomb 
itself  is  built  of  stone,  ornamented  with  white  marble.  It  is 
a  square  of  sixty-one  and  one  half  feet  exteriorly ;  the  walls 
are  twenty-one  and  one  half  feet  thick,  thirty-eight  and 
one  half  feet  high,  with  a  slope  of  seven  and  one  half  feet 
from  top  to  bottom.  The  total  height  to  the  top  of  the 
domed  rout'  is  seventy  feet,  and  the  pinnacle  is  ten  feet  more. 
I.  b  of  tin;  lour  sides  has  a  lofty  doorway  with  a  pointed 
arch.  Within  are  three  tombs,  said  to  be  those  of  the  old 
kin;_r,  his  wile,  and  his  son  and  successor.  The  latter  was  a 
very  cruel  and  unjust  monarch;  and  his  successor,  the  good 
Feeroz  Shah,  obtained,  after  long  efforts,  a  paper  signed  by 
all  whom  his  predecessor  bad  wronged,  declaring  their  lull 
forgiveness.     This  he  deposited   in  the  late  king's  tomb  near 


274  DOTTINGS  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

his  right  hand,  that,  in  the  resurrection  day  he  might  appear 
with  it  before  the  judgment  seat.  The  following  are  the 
words  of  Feeroz  Shah  himself  in  regard  to  it:  "I  have  taken 
pains  to  discover  the  surviving  relations  of  all  persons  who 
suffered  from  the  wrath  of  my  late  lord ;  and  having  pen- 
sioned and  provided  for  them,  and  for  those  who  had  been 
maimed  by  order  of  the  late  Sultan,  have  caused  them  to 
execute  deeds,  declaring  their  satisfaction,  duly  witnessed; 
these  being  placed  in  a  chest  have  been  deposited  at  the 
head  of  the  tomb  of  the  said  Sultan,  in  the  hope  that  God  of 
his  infinite  mercy  will  take  compassion  on  my  departed  friend." 

As  the  sun  is  sinking  fast,  we  turn  our  faces  towards  Delhi, 
and  after  another  dose  of  bullock-cart,  we  rejoin  our  carriage 
and  arrive  at  the  hotel  in  time  for  dinner. 

Before  leaving  the  hotel  in  the  morning,  we  gave  orders  to 
the  proper  persons  to  prepare  a  nautch  for  us  this  evening, 
as  we  wished  to  witness  this  curious  dance.  At  8  p.  m.  we 
leave  the  hotel,  and,  accompanied  by  the  Baboo,  make  our 
way  through  a  labyrinth  of  streets  to  a  hall  brilliantly  lighted, 
containing  a  sort  of  stage,  on  which  chairs  are  placed  for  us. 
The  native  musicians  sit  at  one  end,  several  Indians  with 
torches  are  standing  near  by,  and  the  dancing-girls  are  grouped 
at  the  side.  Their  dresses  are  elaborately  embroidered  with 
gold  and  silver,  and  countless  bangles  of  gold  and  silver  are 
on  their  wrists  and  ankles.  Silver  rings,  connected  by  silver 
chains,  are  worn  on  their  toes.      Long  veils,  beautifully  em- 


LUCKX01V,   CAWNPORE,  AND  DELHI.  27$ 

broidered,   are    thrown   loosely    over    their    heads    or    twisted 
around  their  bodies. 

Now  the  musicians  strike  up  a  slow,  mournful  refrain. 
The  torchbearers  advance,  and  throwing  the  fitful  light  on  the 
dancers,  cause  the  bright  dresses  of  the  latter  to  sparkle  like 
masses  of  jewels.  The  dance  is  begun  with  a  measured,  grace- 
ful step ;  the  glittering  figures  wind  in  and  out,  advance, 
retreat,  and  move  from  side  to  side,  their  dark  faces  and 
barbaric  garments  forming  a  weird  scene.  Now  one  of  them 
Btepa  before  the  others,  and,  placing  a  cup  on  the  ground, 
circles  round  and  round  it,  now  rushing  towards  it  with 
eagerness,  then,  with  hand  outstretched  to  seize  it,  moving 
back  hurriedly  with  an  expression  of  fear  on  her  face.  The 
music  is  rapid  and  shrill,  and  wild  bursts  from  time  to  time 
seem  to  call  on  the  dancer  to  taste  the  fatal  draught.  It  is 
"  Temptation  "  enacted.  At  last  the  girl  leaps  forward,  throws 
her  veil  from  her,  and  dances  towards  the  cup.  The  music 
grows  even  more  rapid,  her  bosom  heaves,  and,  with  uplifted 
arms,  she  sinks  within  the  charmed  circle,  grasps  the  cup 
with  utter  abandonment,  and  drains  it  to  the  bottom. 

;,  January  1.  —  We  start  this  morning  for  the  Fort  and 
Palace  of  the  Moguls.  This  fortress  was  built  at  an  expense 
of  fifty  lacs  <»i'  rupees  (8 2,5( )0,000),  and  was  not  finished  for 
twenty  years.  It  is  about  ;i  mile  and  a  quarter  in  circumfer- 
ence, and  contained  originally  about  a  dozen  buildings,  of 
which  the  most  important  still  exist. 


276  DOTTING S  ROUND  THE   CIRCLE. 

We  go  first  into  a  large  hall  open  at  three  sides,  and  sup- 
ported by  rows  of  red  sandstone  pillars.  On  the  right-hand 
side  (as  we  stand  looking  up  the  hall)  is  a  marble  staircase 
leading  up  to  a  throne,  covered  with  a  canopy  which  is  sup- 
ported on  four  pillars  of  white  marble.  The  throne  is  raised 
about  ten  feet  from  the  ground.  The  wall  behind  the  throne 
is  covered  with  mosaic  work  in  precious  stones,  the  majority 
of  which  have  been  removed.  This  work  was  done  by  Austin 
de  Bordeaux. 

Continuing  our  way  to  the  left  we  enter  the  exquisite  Hall 
of  Audience,  which  once  contained  the  celebrated  Peacock 
Throne,  worth  six  million  pounds  sterling,  which  Nadir  Shah 
took  away  in  1739.  This  hall  is  supported  by  graceful  marble 
pillars,  beautifully  inlaid  with  precious  stones  in  floral  designs ; 
and  the  upper  sections,  the  ceiling,  and  the  cornices  are  gilt. 
The  room  is  long  and  wide,  the  marble  columns  are  massive 
and  finely  wrought,  and  the  decoration  is  most  elaborate.  I 
do  not  believe  it  has  its  equal  in  the  world. 

The  white  marble  platform  on  which  the  Peacock  Throne 
rested  is  still  here.  On  the  cornices  at  each  end  can  still  be 
deciphered  the  famous  inscription,  in  flowing  Persian  charac- 
ters: "Ugur  furdoosee  buroo-i-zumccn  ust,  humccn  ust,  humcen 
ust,  Ira iii mi  ust"  (And,  oh,  if  there  be  an  Elysium  on  earth, 
it  is  this,  it  is  this,  it  is  this"). 

"The  Palace  of  Shahjuhanabad,  in  the  short  space  of  its 
existence,  has  witnessed  many  startling  scenes,  mostly  tragic. 


LUCKNOW,   CAWNPORE,  AND  DELHI.  277 

Here,  in  1716,  the  Scottish  surgeon,  who  cured  the  Emperor 
Furrokh  Shur  on  the  eve  of  his  marriage,  was  rewarded  by 
that  permission  for  his  employers  to  establish  a  factory  and 
to  maintain  a  territory  of  thirty-eight  towns  on  the  banks  of 
the  Hooghly,  which  was  the  foundation  of  the  'Presidency 
of  Fort  William,'  and  all  that  has  since  sprung  therefrom. 
Gabriel  Hamilton  was  thus  the  hommc  necessaire  of  the  Brit- 
ish Indian  Empire.  Here,  on  the  31st  of  March,  1739,  the 
degenerate  Muhumud  Shah  entered  the  Throne-room  with  the 
fearful  Nadir  Shah  of  Persia,  and  sipped  his  coffee  on  the 
Peacock  Throne.  Next  day,  the  invaders  massacred  the  citi- 
zens before  'the  dark  and  terrible  eye'  of  their  leader,  as  he 
looked  on  from  the  roof  of  Eoshun-ood-dowlah's  Mosque.  The 
Peacock  Throne  was  then  broken  up,  and  Nadir  returned  to 
Persia  with  plunder  valued  at  eighty  millions  sterling  in  the 
value  of  the  day.  Less  than  ten  years  after,  the  Abdalee 
Chief  of  Cabul,  Ahmud  Khan,  repeated  the  cruel  lesson  and 
despoiled  the  palace  of  much  of  its  remaining  wealth.  In 
1759  the  work  was  completed  by  the  Mahrattas,  under  Su- 
dasheo  Rao  Bhao,  marching  to  their  ruin  at  Paniput;  when 
....  the  plating  was  torn  down  from  the  ceiling  of  the 
Throne-room.  In  1788  the  sanctity  of  the  imperial  halls  was 
further  violated  by  the  cannon-shot  of  G-holam  Kadir,  and 
Bhortly  after  by  his  actual  presence.  Here  he  lay  and  smoked 
his  hookah  on  the  faded  substitute  of  the  Peacock  Throne; 
and  here  he,  with  Ins  own  hands,  shared  in  the  torture  of  the 


278  DOTTING S   ROUND   THE    CIRCLE. 

royal  family  and  the  blinding  of  the  helpless  old  Emperor 
Shall  Alum.  Here,  on  the  15th  of  September,  1803,  as  the 
sun  was  setting,  the  long  cavalcade  of  Lake  defiled  into  the 
Am-Khas,  where  the  blinded  chief  of  the  house  of  Timoor 
was  found  'seated  under  a  small  tattered  canopy,  the  remnant 
of  his  royal  state,  with  every  external  appearance  of  the 
misery  of  his  condition.'  And  lastly,  here  in  May,  1857,  the 
last  representative  of  the  Great  Moguls,  a  not  unwilling  tool 
in  the  hands  of  the  Company's  mutinous  soldiery,  consented 
to  the  butchery  of  helpless  women  and  children."* 

We  go  next  to  the  Jama  Musjid,  the  great  Mosque  of 
Delhi,  and  the  finest  in  India.  It  is  built  on  a  rocky  height 
to  the  westward  of  the  Palace,  and  is  constructed  of  white 
marble  and  red  sandstone,  with  three  domes  and  two  mina- 
rets. It  stands  in  a  splendid  court-yard,  four  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  square,  and  is  reached  by  handsome  marble  steps. 
The  mosque  itself  is  two  hundred  and  one  feet  long,  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  feet  broad,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
high.  The  roof  is  supported  by  beautiful  marble  pillars,  and 
the  marble  floor  is  divided  into  spaces  for  the  worshippers. 
At  each  end  are  marble  screens  behind  which  the  women 
knelt. 

It  is  said  that  five  thousand  workmen  were  constantly  em- 
ployed on  this  mosque  for  six  years.  It  was  completed 
A.  d.  1G58,  the   same  year  in   which  its  founder,  Shahjuhan, 

*    Keene's  Handbook  to  Delhi. 


LUC  KNOW,   CAWNPORE,  AND  DELHI.  279 


was  deposed.  Iu  a  building  near  the  mosque  we  are  shown 
various  relics,  —  a  shoe  of  Mahomet,  a  hair  from  his  beard, 
and  a  very  old  Koran. 

On  our  way  back  to  the  hotel  we  pass  through  the  famous 
Chandnee  Chouk,  or  Street  of  Light,  where  the  chief  shops 
are  situated.  Here  we  find  a  profusion  of  beautifully  embroi- 
dered shawls,  jackets,  cloaks,  and  caps,  for  which  Delhi  is 
noted.  The  jewellers'  stores  are  well  worth  visiting,  and  we 
examine  with  interest  a  saddle-cloth,  intended  for  the 
Prince  of  Wales,  which  is  covered  with  precious  stones  of 
all  kinds. 

Alter  tiffin  we  set  out  for  the  Kootub,  a  wonderful  tower 
about  eleven  miles  distant  from  the  centre  of  the  city.  As 
wt:  ride  along  we  pass  first  the  Juntur  Muntur,  or  Observa- 
tory, constructed  for  the  Emperor  Mohummud  Shah  in 
a.  d.  1730,  by  Jay  Singh,  Eaja  of  Jeypore.  Farther  on, 
on  the  other  side,  is  the  tomb  of  Sufdur  Jung  ("  Piercer  of 
Battle  Ranks"). 

The  Kootub  is  a  red  stone  tower  two  hundred  and  thirty- 
eight    feet  high,  and  sloping   from  a  diameter  of  forty-seven 

•  at  the  base  to  one  of  scarcely  nine  at  the  summit,  It 
i-  divided  into  five  stories,  of  which  the  first  and  List  make 
up  one  half,  the  second,  third,  and  fourth  the  other  half,  of 
the  total  height.  The  three  lower  stories  are  surrounded  with 
carved  scrolls  containing  verses  from  the  Koran,  and  the  name 
and  praises  of  the  founder. 


280  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

The  literal  meaning  of  Kootub  is  Polar  Star.  The  tower 
■was  begun  by  Kootub-ood-deen  Aibuk,  the  lieutenant  of  the 
Ghorian  conqueror  of  India,  towards  the  end  of  the  twelfth 
century.  It  was  not  completed,  however,  till  the  middle  of 
the  reign  of  his  successor.  The  tower  is  exquisitely  propor- 
tioned. A  winding  staircase  leads  up  to  the  top,  whence  an 
extensive  view  may  be  obtained. 

Near  the  Kootub  is  a  remarkable  gateway  built  by  Ala- 
ood-deen  in  the  fourteenth  century.  The  facade  is  covered 
with  delicate  chiselling,  and,  viewed  from  a  little  distance, 
the  tracery  is  wonderfully  beautiful  Near  by  is  a  plain  iron 
pillar,  twenty-two  feet  high,  with  six  Sanscrit  lines  cut  upon 
its  western  face,  indicating  that  it  was  erected  in  the  fourth 
century  of  the  Christian  era.  Several  other  interesting  ruins 
are  in  the  vicinity. 

Retracing  our  steps  we  reach  Delhi  in  time  for  dinner. 

A  few  words  in  regard  to  the  mutiny  in  this  city.  Early 
on  the  morning  of  the  11th  of  May,  1857,  the  revolted  troopers 
of  the  Third  Bengal  Cavalry  crossed  the  bridge  of  boats  and 
entered  the  city.  The  entire  native  garrison  quickly  joined 
them,  and  the  foreigners  were  at  once  attacked.  Simon  Fra- 
ser,  the  Resident,  Captain  Douglas,  Commander  of  the  Palace 
Guard,  with  the  Chaplain  and  his  daughter,  were  killed  at 
the  main  gate  of  the  citadel;  Colonel  Ripley  and  other  offi- 
cers of  the  Seventy-fourth  X.  I.  were  shot  in  front  of  their 
own   men;    the  magazine  was  captured;    and  the   Europeans, 


LUCKNOW,   CAWNPORE,  AXD  DELHI.  28 1 

men,  women,  and  children,  were  pursued  by  a  frantic  mob 
and  shot  down  as  they  ran.  The  magazine,  however,  was 
bravely  exploded  by  Willoughby  and  Forrest,  and  many  Eu- 
ropeans escaped  across  the  Jumna  and  arrived  safely  at 
Meerut. 

On  the  8th  of  September  operations  were  begun  to  retake 
the  city.  Troops  under  John  Lawrence  had  arrived,  and, 
best  of  all,  came  the  great  John  Nicholson.  For  five  days 
the  gunners  of  England  beat  upon  the  northern  walls  with- 
out ceasing.  On  the  evening  of  the  13th  two  practicable 
breaches  were  reported  by  the  Engineer  officers,  one  at  the 
Cashmere  Bastion,  the  other  at  the  Water  Gate.  At  day- 
break of  the  14th  the  roar  of  artillery  suddenly  ceased.  Ac- 
cording to  previous  agreement  the  Sixtieth  Rifles  sprang  forth 
with  a  cheer  to  cover  the  advance,  and  Salkeld  and  Home 
of  the  Bengal  Engineers  stepped    forward  with  non-commis- 

>ned  officers,  buglers,  and  powder-carriers,  to  blow  up  the 
I  hmere  Gate.  The  scene  that  followed  is  thus  described 
by  an  »'\-<. -witness,  Colonel  Medley,  R  E.  :   "Followed  by  the 

inning  party,  one  hundred  and  fifty  strong,  Home  and  his 
party  reached  the  outer  gate  almost  unseen.  With  difficulty 
they  crossed  the  ditch,  and  having  laid  their  bags,  retired 
unharmed.  It  waa  now  Salkeld's  turn.  He  also  advanced 
with  fbur  other  baga  of  powder  and  lighted  port-iirc,  but  the 
enemy  had  seen  the  smallness  of  the  party  and  the  object 
of  their  approach.      A  deadly  lire  was  poured  upon  the  little 


282  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

band  from  the  open  wicket  not  ten  feet  distant.  Salkeld 
laid  his  bags,  but  was  shot  through  the  arm  and  leg,  and 
fell  back  on  the  bridge,  handing  the  port-fire  to  Sergeant 
Burgess,  bidding  him  light  the  fuse.  Burgess  was  instantly 
shot  dead  in  the  attempt.  Sergeant  Carmichael  then  ad- 
vanced, took  up  the  port-fire,  and  succeeded  in  the  attempt, 
but  immediately  fell  mortally  wounded.  Sergeant  Smith,  see- 
ing  him   fall,  advanced  at  a  run,  but   finding   that   the   fuse 

was  already  burning,  threw  himself  into  the  ditch In 

another  moment  a  terrific  explosion  shattered  the  massive 
gate,  the  bugle  sounded  the  advance,  and  then  with  a  loud 
cheer  the  storming  party  was  in  the  gateway,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  more  the  Cashmere  Gate  and  Main  Guard  were  once 
more  in  our  hands." 

All  the  survivors  were  recommended  for  the  Victoria  Cross. 
Salkeld,  however,  died  of  his  wounds ;  and  Home,  coming  out 
unhurt  from  this  terrible  ordeal,  fell  soon  after  in  a  small 
engagement.  General  Nicholson,  after  leading  his  column 
over  the  breach  by  the  side  of  the  Cashmere  Gate,  was  shot 
while  urging  his  men  towards  the  Burn  Bastion.  On  the 
fifth  day,  however,  the  whole  city  was  in  the  hands  of  Sir 
Archdale  "Wilson. 

January  8.  —  We  leave  Delhi  at  half  past  eleven  this 
niurning,  and  reach  Agra  at  7.30  P.  M.  We  drive  at  once  to 
Harrison's  Hotel 


AGRA   AND  BOMBAY.  283 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

AGRA    AND    BOMBAY. 

The  Taj  of  Agra. —  The  Pearl  Mosque. — The  Fort.  —  The  Tomb  of 
Akbar  the  Great.  —  Bombay.  —  The  Tower  of  Silence. — The  Caves 
of  Elephanta.  —  Embarkation'  for  Egypt. 

January  3.  —  Agra  is  situated  on  the  west  bank  of  the 
Jumna  River,  one  hundred  and  thirty-nine  miles  southeast 
from  Delhi,  nine  hundred  and  six  miles  from  Calcutta,  and 
seven  hundred  and  fifty  from  Bombay.  It  contains  a  popu- 
lation of  one  hundred  and  forty-three  thousand,  and  has  a 
considerable  trade  in  cotton  and  salt,  which  are  sent  down 
the  Jumna  in  boats  to  Mirzapore  and  Calcutta. 

The  city  was  named  from  acjur,  a  salt-pan,  much  salt  hav- 
ing been  made  in  the  place  by  evaporation.  It  was  founded 
by  Akbar  the  Great  in  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
and  is  particularly  interesting  to  travellers  on  account  of  the 
Fort,  the  Taj,  and  the  Pearl  Mosque. 

We  begin  out  day's  tour  with  a  visit  to  Sikundra,  the 
tomb  of  Akbar  the  Great.  This  is  a  square  building  of  red 
stone  with  five  stories,  the  upper  one  being  of  white  marble, 
and  crowned  by  four  small  kiosques.  The  tomb  was  built 
by  Juhangeer,  the  son  and  successor  of  Akbar.    It  is  said  to 


284  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

have  cost  fifteen  lacs  of  rupees.  A  beautiful  garden  sur- 
rounds it,  full  of  orange,  banana,  tamarind,  mango,  palm,  and 
peepul  trees.  A  high,  red  stone  wall  encloses  the  grounds, 
with  a  lofty  gateway  in  the  centre  of  each  of  its  sides. 

On  the  summit  of  the  mausoleum  is  a  white  marble  sar- 
cophagus, exquisitely  sculptured,  and  placed  in  the  centre  of 
a  large  chamber  open  to  the  sky.  Ninety-nine  titles  of  the 
Creator  are  on  the  tombstone,  and  at  the  head  and  foot  are 
the  salutations  of  the  school  or  faith  of  Akbar,  "Allaho  Akbar! 
Jilli  Julali  Hoo  ! "  The  real  tomb  which  covers  the  remains 
is  in  a  vault  below  the  floor  of  the  building.  The  hall  is 
about  thirty-eight  feet  scjuare,  and  the  ceiling  is  of  blue  and 
gold  plaster. 

Stand  at  a  little  distance  from  the  building,  opposite  the 
main  gateway.  From  here  one  can  appreciate  the  beauty  of 
the  whole.  On  either  side  of  the  wide  stairway  are  two 
minarets.  The  different  red  stone  stories  rise  one  above  an- 
other, surmounted  by  the  beautiful  chamber  of  white  marble; 
at  each  corner  of  the  upper  terrace  are  two  marble  turrets 
witli  gilded  domes  which  flash  and  glitter  in  the  sun;  around 
us  is  the  luxuriant  garden,  filled  with  bright  sunlight  ami 
patches  of  shade,  while  a  deep  and  impressive  silence  per- 
vades this  abode  of  the  dead. 

AVe  next  visit  the  Fort  situated  in  the  town.  This  is  a 
lofty  structure  of  red  stone,  with  walls  about  seventy  feet  in 
height  and  a  mile    and  a  half   in  circumference.      It  is  said, 


AGRA   AND  BOMBAY.  285 

however,  that  their  strength  is  more  apparent  than  real,  and 
that  the  stone  of  the  works  is  only  veneered  over  banks  of 
sand  and  nibble.  Passing  over  the  moat  on  a  drawbridge, 
we  pass  through  a  curious  gateway,  and  crossing  a  court- 
yard enter  the  Dewan-i-Am,  or  Public  Audience  Hall.  This 
chamber  is  one  hundred  and  ninety-two  feet  in  length  and 
sixty-four  in  breadth.  The  traces  of  the  emperor's  throne  are 
still  to  be  seen,  and  near  by  is  a  slab  of  marble  on  which 
Akbar  stood  when  administering  justice.  At  the  side,  over- 
looking the  river,  are  beautifully  decorated  chambers,  formerly 
occupied  by  the  ladies  of  the  court.  The  remains  of  an  ex- 
tensive system  of  water-pipes  are  still  shown ;  and  underneath 
a  little  building  near  by  is  a  large  bouicc,  or  well-house, 
whose  interior  walls  are  covered  with  little  mirrors.  These 
well-houses  were  designed  for  cool  retreats  during  the  heat 
of  the  day.     The  fort  was  captured  by  Lord  Lake  in  1803. 

The  Motee  Musjid,  or  Pearl  Mosque,  is  the  most  beautiful 
building  on  the  premises.  It  is  of  white  marble,  standing 
on  a  lofty  sandstone  platform,  and  has  three  delicate  domes 
of  white  marble.  "It  is  a  sanctuary  so  pure  and  stainless, 
revealir  ilted  a  spirit  of  worship,  that  I  felt  humbled 

a  Christian  to  think  that  our  noble  religion  has  never 
inspired  its  architects  to  surpass  this  temple  to  God  and 
Mahomet."* 

From  here  we  drive  to  the  Taj.     Arrived  at  the  premises, 

*   Bayard  Taylor. 


286  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

we  pass  through  a  splendid  gateway  of  sandstone,  covered 
with  inscriptions  from  the  Koran  in  white  marble.  Proceed- 
ing, we  enter  a  beautiful  garden  with  rich  trees,  shrubs,  and 
flowers,  and  many  fountains.  At  the  farther  end,  above  the 
rich  foliage,  rises  a  marble  building  of  dazzling  whiteness. 
Its  proportions  are  so  graceful  that  it  seems  to  be  but  lightly 
resting  on  its  foundations,  and  its  dome  is  so  delicate  that  it 
is  almost  transparent.  While  gazing  on  the  structure  the  eye 
assures  the  mind  that  this  is  absolute  perfection. 

We  ascend  some  wide  marble  steps  and  reach  a  white 
marble  platform.  Crossing  this,  we  arrive  at  the  door,  a  gem 
of  delicate  carving  and  tracery.  We  descend  into  the  vault 
containing  the  sarcophagi  of  Shah  Julian  and  his  queen, — 
Moomtaz-i-Mahal,  The  Light  of  the  World.  The  tombs  are 
exquisitely  adorned  with  bloodstone,  agate,  carnelian,  and 
jewels,  inlaid  with  great  taste.  They  are  surrounded  with  an 
octagonal  screen  of  marble,  covered  with  different  designs 
worked  with  precious  stones.  The  roof  and  walls  of  the 
chamber  are  pure  white  blocks  of  marble,  and  the  echo  that 
is  returned  here  is  wonderful. 

I  have  seen  many  different  buildings,  many  handsome 
structures,  many  varied  styles  of  architecture;  never  have  I 
beheld  one  which  fills  me  with  such  delight  as  this  Taj 
Mahal 

January  Jf..  —  We  leave  Agra  at  half  past  five  this  morn- 
ing, with  a  long  railroad  journey  before  us. 


AGRA   AND  BOMBAY.  287 

January  G.  —  I    reach   Bombay   at   half   past    eleven    this 

morning.     F left   the   train   at   Jubbulpore   to    spend   a 

night  at  the  "Marble  Rocks."  He  is  to  rejoin  me  to-morrow. 
After  obtaining  my  letters  I  drive  to  the  Esplanade  Hotel, 
an  immense  iron  structure  lately  erected. 

Bombay  is  distant  fourteen  hundred  and  seventy  miles,  by 
rail,  from  Calcutta,  and  seven  hundred  and  seventy-five  miles 
from  Madras.  The  English  obtained  the  place  as  part  of  the 
dowry  of  the  Princess  Katherine  of  Portugal,  when  she  was 
married  to  Charles  II.  This  monarch  ceded  it  to  the  East 
India  Company  in  1G69.  It  contains  a  population  of  about 
seven  hundred  thousand,  and  carries  on  an  extensive  trade. 
The  city  now  contains  many  handsome  buildings,  wide  streets 
lighted  with  gas,  and  a  horse  railroad.  It  is  excellently 
drained  ;  and  Malabar  Hill,  overlooking  the  town,  is  covered 
with  picturesque  bungalows.  Multitudes  of  Parsees,  with  tall 
black-paper  hats,  are  constantly  seen  on  the  streets.  They  are 
very  thrifty  and  industrious,  and  many  of  them  have  amassed 
large  fortunes. 

January  7.  —  F arrived   to-day.     In   the  afternoon  we 

visit  the  curious  mid  repulsive  Tower  of  Silence,  the  strange 
cemetery  of  the  Parsees.  On  the  top  of  a  lofty  hill,  remote 
from  til-'  town,  is  a  garden  surrounded  by  a  high  wall.  A 
long  flighl  of  steps  winds  up  to  the  summit  of  the  hill.  In 
tin-  centre  of  the  garden  is  a  low,  square  building  without 
any   rout'.      It    contains  one  chamber,  in  which  is  a  soil  of  iron 


288  DOTTIXGS  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

altar  formed  of  round  bars  of  iron  joined  together.  When  a 
Parsee  dies  the  body  is  taken  solemnly  to  this  Tower  of  Si- 
lence, strapped  upon  the  iron  altar,  and  left  entirely  exposed 
to  the  air  in  the  open  chamber.  These  people  do  not  follow 
the  custom  of  cremation  or  of  burying,  but  believe  that  the 
body  should  be  placed  above  ground,  and  suffered,  undis- 
turbed, to  return  to  the  elements  of  which  it  was  made. 
Therefore,  having  secured  it  to  the  iron  altar,  they  leave  it  in 
the  open  air,  and,  shutting  the  outer  gate,  allow  Nature  to 
deal  with  their  dead  as  she  will. 

Their  theory,  however,  is  never  carried  into  effect.  Scarcely 
is  a  body  fastened  to  the  altar  when,  from  all  the  neighboring 
trees,  multitudes  of  vultures  spring  into  the  air,  and,  scenting 
their  coming  banquet  from  afar,  wheel  round  and  round  the 
summit  of  the  hill  in  a  thick,  dark  flock.  As  soon  as  the 
outer  gate  is  shut,  they  swoop  upon  their  senseless  prey,  and, 
tearing  off  pieces  of  flesh,  group  themselves  on  the  neighbor- 
ing wall,  and  fmish  their  repast  at  their  leisure  before  the 
very  faces  of  the  relatives  of  the  deceased. 

This  shocking  scene  is  repeated  so  frequently,  that  the  Brit- 
ish government  has  decided  to  command  the  Parsees  to  bury 
their  dead  in  the  usual  way. 

None  but  Parsees  can  enter  the  garden.  Pioyal  visitors  and 
hi"h  officials  are,  however,  admitted.  The  custodian  informs 
us  that  we  cannot  pass  the  gate.  He  says  that  the  Prince  of 
Wales  was  the  only  foreigner  who  has  obtained  admission  for 


AGRA   AND  BOMBAY.  289 

, 

years.  Assuming  a  dignified  air  and  raising  my  voice,  I  reply, 
"  "We  Lave  travelled  a  long  way  from  home.  We  are  Bach- 
elors of  Arts  and  we  wish  to  see  the  inside  of  your  cemetery." 
The  Parsee  is  puzzled.  He  sees  we  are  strangers,  and  has 
evidently  never  heard  of  our  declared  rank.     Seeing  a  smile 

on  F 's  face,  he  suspects  something.     Shaking  his  head,  he 

declares  that  we  must  send  our  names  to  the  secretary  of  his 
Sect,  and  inform  him  that  we  are  Bachelors  of  Arts.  This,  he 
says,  may  admit  us.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  we  do  not 
follow  his  advice. 

At  6  p.  m.  we  meet,  by  appointment,  Mr.  E.  Lord,  of  Lyon  & 
Co.,  who  drives  us  along  the  beach  road  to  the  centre  of  Mala- 
bar Hill,  where  he  has  a  delightful  house.  A  fine  sea-view 
is  obtained  here,  and  the  air  is  cool  and  refreshing. 

January  9.  —  Having  engaged  a  small  steam-launch  we 
start  about  seven  o'clock  for  the  Caves  of  Elephanta,  situated 
on  Garapuri  Island,  about  eight  miles  from  Bombay.  This  is 
a  specimen  of  the  numerous  cave-temples  found  in  various 
parts  of  India.  Here  we  see  large  chambers  hollowed  out  of 
the  rocky  cave,  regular  rows  of  sculptured  pillars,  and  rude 
statues  of  various  divinities.  The  chief  object  of  interest  in 
Elephanta,  however,  is  the  Hindoo  Trinity,  an  immense  head 
with  three  faces,  cut  out  of  a  single  piece  of  rock,  represent- 
ing Shiva,  Vishnu,  and  Buddha  "When  the  Prince  of  Wales 
was  in  Bombay  this  cave  was  illuminated,  and  the  effect  must 
have  been  veiy  picturesque 


29O  DOTTING S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

January  10.  —  Two  steamers  are  lying  in  the  harbor  bound 
for  Suez.  One  is  the  regular  mail-boat  of  the  P.  and  0. 
S.  S.  Co.,  which  is  due  at  Suez  in  twelve  days;  the 
other  is  an  Italian  steamer,  very  comfortable  in  appearance, 
and  said  to  be  an  excellent  boat.  She  does  not,  however,  run 
on  schedule  time,  and  on  this  account  the  fare  is  much  less 
than  by  the  mail-boat.     I  prefer,  however,   to   take   the   fast 

steamer,  while  F champions   the  other.     He  reminds  me 

that  we  are  in  no  hurry  to  reach  Egypt ;  assures  me  that 
the  Italian  boat  will  arrive  at  Suez  but  a  very  few  days  after 
the  other;  and  tells  me  that  we  will  make  quite  a  saving  in 
our  fare,  —  a  powerful  inducement  to  a  traveller.  To  this  I 
answer  that  we  have  already  travelled  many  thousand  miles 
on  the  sea.  I  am  anxious  to  accomplish  this  voyage  as  speed- 
ily as  possible.  To  do  this  I  am  willing  to  pay  a  higher 
fare.  Moreover,  it  is  quite  uncertain  when  the  Italian  steamer 
will  reach  Egypt.  She  may  stop  for  cargo  or  passengers  along 
the  Bed  Sea,  and  take  several  weeks  to  accomplish  the  voyage. 

All  that  I  say  is  of  no  avail.     F remains  firm  in  his 

preference.  We  botli  see  that  our  arguments  are  powerless 
with  the  other.  We  fix  matters  as  follows:  F is  to  em- 
bark on  the  Italian  steamer,  and  I  on  the  mail-boat.  His 
steamer  is  due  (as  far  as  is  now  known)  at  Suez  two  days 
after  mine.  I  promise  to  wait  for  him  in  Cairo,  when  we  will 
continue  our  tour. 

At  3  P.  M.  we  bid   each   other   farewell.     I   embark  on  the 


AGRA   AXD  BOMBAY.  29 1 

English  steamer  and  F goes  on  board  of  the  Italian.     At 

five  o'clock  we  weigh  anchor.     Behind  us  is  F 's  steamer, 

which  has  not  yet  started.  India  disappears  in  the  distance. 
Once  more  I  am  on  the  water  with  a  long  voyage  before  me, 
but,  for  the  first  time,  with  no  fellow-countryman  at  my  side. 


2Q2  DOTTING S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

UP  THE  RED  SEA  TO    CAIRO. 

Aden*.  —  Heat  ox  the  Red  Sea.  —  Suez.  —  Across  the  Desert  to  Cairo. 
—  Egyptian  Mosques. — Excursion  to  the  Pyramids. — The  Dancing 
Dervishes.  —  Arrival  at  Alexaxdria. 

January  11.  —  The  Pcra  is  the  flag-ship  of  the  Peninsula  and 
Oriental  Squadron,  her  commander,  Captain  Methven,  being 
the  oldest  officer  in  the  company's  service.  She  is  a  fine 
large  vessel,  and  the  captain  pays  the  most  continual  atten- 
tion to  the  comfort  of  passengers  intrusted  to  him.  Be- 
sides this,  he  keeps  a  most  watchful  eye  upon  every  portion 
of  the  ship,  and  satisfies  himself  by  thorough  and  frequent 
inspections  that  his  orders  are  carried  out  and  proper  care 
taken.  We  have  but  few  passengers,  for  people  seldom  re- 
turn to  England  in  the  cold  weather  after  living  for  a  year 
or  more  in  the  warm  climate  of  India.  I  am  the  only 
American  on  board,  and  I  am  obliged  to  endure  continual 
(good-natured)  allusions  to  the  "Bird  of  Freedom,"  "  the  Stars 
and  Stripes,"  and  "The  Ideal  Yankee." 

January  17.  —  After  a  swift  run  across  the  Arabian  Sea, 
we  reach  Aden  at  daybreak  this  morning;  and  while  the 
steamer    is    coaling    the    passengers    have    time    to    visit    the 


UP   THE  RED   SEA    TO   CAIRO.  293 

town.  Aden  is  situated  on  a  rocky  peninsula  near  the  en- 
trance to  the  Bed  Sea.  It  is  owned  by  the  English,  and 
would  be  an  important  naval  station  in  case  of  war.  It  has 
a  population  of  about  twenty -one  thousand,  the  majority  of 
whom  are  natives.  A  small  trade  is  carried  on  with  the  in- 
terior of  Arabia  and  with  the  opposite  ports  in  Africa.  It  is 
a  stopping-place  for  the  Peninsula  and  Oriental  boats,  and  for 
the  steamers  of  the  Messageries  Maritimes  Company.  Hardly 
a  tree  is  to  be  seen  in  the  place,  and  the  neighborhood  is 
lonely  to  the  last  degree.  The  natives  present  a  very  curious 
appearance.  They  stiffen  their  hair  with  a  sort  of  yellow 
earth,  which  gives  the  head  the  exact  look  of  a  large  mop. 
Ostrich-feathers  and  coral  may  be  bought  here  in  large 
quantities,  but  no  one  should  think  of  giving  the  prices 
demanded. 

"We  leave  Aden  at  11  a.  m.,  and  at  7  p.  m.  are  opposite 
Perim,  in  the  Red  Sea. 

January  As'. —  At  noon  to-day  the  strong,  favorable  wind 
dies  completely  away,  and  leaves  us  gasping  for  breath.  No 
mil'  who  has  not  experienced  it  can  imagine  the  heat  which 
frequently  prevails  on  the  Eed  Sea.  There  seems  to  be  ab- 
solutely no  air  to  breathe.  The  steamer's  smoke  rises  slowly, 
and  hangs  about  the  smoke-stack  in  a  dense  cloud,  moving 
neither  to  the  right  hand  nor  to  the  left.  The  sun  beats 
down  fiercely  upon  the  awnings  Btretched  over  the  decks; 
the  passengers  are  all  siezed  with  a  burning  thirst,  and  soda- 


294  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

water  and  ale  are  in  great  demand.  I  can  now  appreciate 
the  story,  often  told,  that  ships  navigating  this  water  in  July 
or  August  are  sometimes  obliged  to  tarn  round  and  run 
backwards  to  get  a  little  air  !  How  we  should  enjoy  some 
of  the  January  blasts  that  are  probably  now  whistling  over 
America  ! 

January  20.  —  We  are  revived !  A  fresh  breeze  is  blowing 
in  our  faces,  tossing  up  great  waves  against  the  ship,  and 
considerably  retarding  our  progress ;  but  better,  far  better 
withal,  than  the  furnace-heat  of  yesterday. 

January  22.  —  At  five  o'clock  this  morning  one  of  the 
passengers  kindly  comes  to  my  state-room,  and  calls  to  me  to 
come  on  deck  and  look  at  the  range  of  mountains  among 
which  is  Sinai.  Going  up  stairs,  I  find  several  of  the  pas- 
sengers already  assembled,  the  majority  provided  with  glasses, 
or  small  telescopes,  all  earnestly  gazing  at  a  group  of  snow- 
capped hills  which  rise  boldly  from  the  desert.  The  beams 
of  the  rising  sun  shine  full  on  the  white  summits,  and  cast 
a  beautiful  rosy  light  over  the  whole.  A  more  intensely 
desolate  place  I  have  never  beheld.  Besides  the  mountains, 
only  a  wide  expanse  of  blue  water  and  far-stretching  sand  is 
to  be  seen,  and  an  eternal  silence  seems  to  hold  possession 
of  the  spot. 

At  midnight  we  arrive  off  Suez,  but  are  obliged  to  wait 
till  daylight  before  going  up  to  the  dock. 

January  23.  —  At  daybreak  this  morning  we  are  again  in 


UP   THE  RED  SEA    TO   CAIRO.  295 

motion,  and  at  nine  o'clock  the  ship  is  securely  tied  to  the 
wharf.  All  of  us  are  thankful  to  be  once  more  on  land. 
Those  of  us  who  are  bound  for  Cairo  find  that  we  shall  be 
obliged  to  wait  till  to-morrow  before  proceeding  on  our 
journey,  as  the  only  train  from  Suez  has  started.  We  there- 
fore decide  to  spend  the  time  at  the  Suez  Hotel.  As  soon 
as  we  set  foot  on  shore  we  are  surrounded  by  swarms  of 
Arabs,  dozens  of  whom  urge  us  to  make  use  of  at  least  fifty 
donkeys  at  once ;  while  whole  platoons  and  relays  insist  upon 
bearing  off  all  our  baggage,  and,  having  made  a  most  minute 
division  of  the  whole  among  themselves,  we  are  dragged  to 
the  hotel  by  a  regiment  of  guides,  while  the  vast  army  of 
.baggage-carriers  moves  on  in  front,  and  we  make  our  way 
through  streets  lined  with  natives  all  demanding  backsheesh 
at  the  same  time.  I  am  rejoiced  to  reach  the  hotel,  and, 
shutting  the  door  of  my  room  as  quickly  as  possible,  I  listen 
with  dismay  to  the  loud  chorus  of  voices  outside  roaring 
forth  the  terrible  word  backsheesh. 

Suez  is  situated  on  a  sandy  tract  of  land  at  the  head  of 
the  Red  Sea.  It  is  distant  thirteen  hundred  and  eight  miles 
from  Aden,  and  twenty-nine  hundred  and  seventy-two  miles 
from  Bombay.  It  owes  its  present  size  entirely  to  the  canal, 
which  has  necessitated  the  erection  of  warehouses  and  dwell- 
ings and  lias  attracted  thither  a  much  larger  European  popu- 
lation than  the  place  ever  would  have  obtained  otherwise. 
The  inhabitants  number  about  fifteen  thousand.      In  the  im- 


296  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

mediate  vicinity  of  Suez  is  shown  the  spot  where  (it  is  said) 
the  Israelites  crossed  the  Bed  Sea.  Excursions  may  be  made 
also  to  the  Well  of  Moses,  Mount  Sinai,  and  Mount  Horeb. 
At  best,  however,  Suez  is  uninteresting  and  desolate. 

Later  in  the  day,  when  the  throng  outside  my  window 
has  dispersed,  I  take  a  long  walk  with  a  fellow-passenger 
through  the  town  and  across  the  desert.  We  pass  a  large 
camp  of  Nubian  soldiers,  waiting  for  transport-ships  to  take 
them  to  the  seat'  of  war  in  Abyssinia.  A  dress-parade  is  in 
progress ;  and  although  the  manual  of  arms  is  not  very  well 
mastered  by  the  majority,  still  the  many  different  companies 
of  dusky  soldiery  uniformed  in  white  with  red  fezes  form  a 
picturesque  scene. 

January  24-. — We  start  at  eight  o'clock  this  morning  for 
Cairo,  distant  two  hundred  and  twenty-four  miles.  The  cars 
of  the  Egyptian  Railway  are  very  dirty  and  uncomfortable, 
and  very  little  attention  is  paid  to  the  specified  running  time. 
Just  before  we  start,  our  compartment  is  surrounded  with  the 
usual  multitude  of  Arabs  howling  for  backsheesh,  to  whose  de- 
mands we,  of  course,  pay  no  attention.  Suddenly,  however,  a 
determined-looking  Arab  forces  his  way  to  the  window,  and 
gaining  the  attention  of  one  of  my  companions,  stretches  out 
his  hand  for  alms,  prefacing  his  request  as  follows:  "You 
kicked  me  yesterday,  —  backsheesh  !"  It  seems  that  my  friend 
was  yesterday  wearied  most  to  death  by  this  fellow's  importu- 
nities,  and   finally,   refusals   producing   no  effect,  kicked  him 


UP   THE  RED   SEA    TO   CAIRO.  297 

out  of  his  path.  The  Arab  then  vanished  without  a  word, 
but  appeared  this  morning,  as  I  have  related,  to  urge  his 
claim  for  backsheesh,  to  which  he  considered  himself  entitled, 
owing  to  his  previous  maltreatment.  As  the  fact  is  indispu- 
table, my  friend  tosses  him  a  sixpence,  which  entirely  satis- 
fies him,  and  having  salaamed  he  departs,  his  countenance 
beaming  with  joy. 

The  railroad  runs  directly  across  the  desert,  and  the  journey 
is  very  uninteresting.  After  changing  cars  and  lunching  at 
Zagazig,  we  continue  our  way,  reach  Cairo  at  5.40  P.  M.,  and 
drive  at  once  to  Shepheard's  Hotel.  The  different  hotels  in 
Cairo  send  carriages  to  the  station  to  meet  the  daily  trains, 
and  it  is  the  custom  for  travellers  to  hand  their  baggage- 
receipts  to  the  hotel  people,  who  assure  its  speedy  arrival  at 
the  chosen  hotel.  I  advise  everybody,  however,  to  collect 
their  baggage  themselves  before  leaving  the  station,  as  one  of 
my  companions  was  obliged  to  circulate  around  the  city  in 
search  of  a  stray  valise,  thereby  losing  his  dinner,  his  peace 
of  mind,  and  probably  his  temper. 

January  2o.  —  Cairo  (Italianized  from  El  Kahirah,  The  Vic- 
torious) contains  a  population  of  three  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  thousand,  of  whom  twenty  thousand  are  foreigners.  The 
Khedive  has  greatly  improved  the  city,  and  the  European 
<  I  waiter  contains  many  handsome  residences,  hotels,  a  public 
garden,  and  a  fine  opera-house. 

Soon  after  breakfast  I  jump  on  a  donkey,  and   having  ob- 


298  D0TT1NGS  ROUND   THE  CIRCLE. 

tamed  an  intelligent  dragoman  to  act  as  my  guide  and  inter- 
preter during  my  stay  in  the  city,  I  make  my  way  through 
the  narrow  streets  to  my  bankers,  where  I  am  glad  to  find 
several  letters.  From  here  I  proceed  to  the  Citadel,  the  largest 
mosque  in  Cairo,  built  on  the  highest  ground  in  the  city,  from 
which  a  splendid  view  is  obtained  in  all  directions.  This 
mosque  was  founded  by  Salaclin  in  1176,  and  its  domes  and 
minarets  can  be  seen  from  almost  every  part  of  the  city. 
Standing  on  the  front  balcony,  a  splendid  panorama  is  spread 
out  before  me.  Far  away  to  the  left  the  dark  waters  of  the 
Nile  can  be  distinguished,  winding  through  fertile  fields;  at 
my  feet  is  Cairo;  while  in  the  distance  the  Sphinx  and  the 
"  everlasting  Pyramids  "  rise  boldly  from  the  boundless  desert. 
The  interior  of  the  mosque  is  plain,  and  in  short  the  whole 
building  is  not  to  be  compared  to  the  exquisite  structures  in 
India;  and  to  one  familiar  with  the  latter,  the  Egyptian  are 
decidedly  disappointing.  Passing  into  the  neighboring  gardens, 
1  am  shown  the  spot  where  Emir  Bey  leaped  his  horse  over 
the  wall  to  avoid  being  killed,  with  his  brother  Mamelukes, 
in  the  massacre  of  March,  1811.  Two  other  mosques  worthy 
of  a  visit  are  the  mosque  of  Kait-Bey,  and  of  Emir  Akhor. 
A  cannon  is  fired  from  the  Citadel  every  day  at  noon. 

After  lunch  I  pay  a  visit  to  the  bazaars.  Here  everything 
is  very  Oriental  in  appearance.  The  streets  are  full  of  tall 
men  with  flowing  garments  and  long  beards,  who  exactly 
resemble   one's   idea   of   the   old   patriarchs.     The   remarkable 


UP   THE  RED   SEA   TO   CAIRO.  299 

costume  of  the  peasant-women  who  walk  the  streets  so  com- 
pletely covered  that  only  their  eyes  are  visible;  the  elegant 
carriages  rattling  along,  through  the  half-closed  blinds  of  which 
a  woman  of  some  Pacha's  harem,  closely  veiled,  can  be  seen; 
the  throngs  of  donkeys,  and  the  multitudes  of  men  with  red 
fezes,  —  all  form  a  moving  panorama  which  holds  the  atten- 
tion of  the  stranger  far  longer  than  one  might  suppose. 

Shepheard's  (now  Zech's)  Hotel  is  the  most  largely  fre- 
quented of  any  in  Cairo,  in  spite  of  its  new  and  pretentious 
rival,  —  an  immense  structure  lately  erected  opposite  the  Pub- 
lic Gardens.  At  dinner  at  Shepheard's  one  may  see  a  most 
varied  and  cosmopolitan  gathering.  The  English  are  largely 
in  the  majority,  but  close  by  a  lord  or  duke  a  "free  American 
citizen"  is  often  located,  while  Frenchmen,  Italians,  and  Ger- 
mans are  scattered  in  various  directions.  An  incident  occurred 
here  which  well  illustrates  the  different  lights  in  which  Ameri- 
cans are  regarded  by  their  English  cousins.  The  conversation 
among  a  party  of  English  had  turned  upon  America,  and  one 
young  man  declared  in  a  loud  tone  of  voice  that  "  no  Ameri- 
can can  be  a  gentleman."  Before  any  of  our  nationality  could 
reply,  a  very  beautiful  Scotch  girl,  who  was  sitting  directly 
opposite  the  oracle,  overwhelmed  him  with  a  storm  of  righteous 
indignation.  "  How  can  you  say  such  a  thing  ? "  said  she. 
'Some  of  the  mosl  perfect  gentlemen  I  ever  met  are  Ameri- 
cans!" This  sudden  reproof,  coming  from  such  a  beautiful 
source,  completely  silenced  our  traducer,  who  soon  after  with- 


300  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

drew  from  the  table.  A  vote  of  thanks  was  tendered  our  coun- 
try's champion  for  so  heroically  defending  our  reputation,  and 
we  assured  her  that  her  name  shoidd  be  preserved  in  the 
archives  of  the  State  Department. 

I  was  present  this  evening  at  a  representation  of  "Aida" 
at  the  opera-house,  which,  in  point  of  scenery  and  costume, 
was  really  marvellous.  The  scene  of  "  Aida,"  as  is  well 
known,  is  laid  in  the  vicinity  of  Cairo,  and  the  costumes 
must,  therefore,  be  Egyptian.  Here,  however,  the  dresses  were 
gorgeously  real,  the  scenery  was  exquisite,  and  the  effect  of 
the  whole  was  astonishingly  beautiful.  The  opera-house  itself 
is  built  on  the  Continental  plan ;  but  four  boxes  in  the  second 
tier,  heavily  curtained  with  lace,  behind  which  some  of  the 
inmates  of  the  Khedive's  harem  may  be  dimly  seen,  recall 
the  fact  that  although  I  am  in  the  midst  of  some  modern  cul- 
ture and  refinement,  I  have  not  yet  left  behind  me  one  of  the 
most  disgraceful  customs  of  antiquity. 

January  .'6.  —  Soon  after  breakfast,  to-day,  I  procure  a 
donkey  and  set  out  for  Boulac,  the  port  of  Cairo,  one  mile 
distant,  which  contains  a  large  museum  of  Egyptian  antiq- 
uities and  curiosities.  Here  also  are  the  mosques  of  Sinan- 
ceyeh  and  Abu-1-Ele,  the  latter  remarkable  for  its  picturesque 
minarets.  Boulac  itself  is  about  one  mile  long  and  one  half 
mile  broad,  and  is  a  very  dirty  town,  containing  about  twenty 
thousand  inhabitants. 

I    remount   my    donkey,    and   proceeding   to   the    Nile   am 


UP    THE  RED   SEA    TO   CAIRO.  301 

ferried  across  in  a  native  boat  to  the  Kilometer  opposite. 
The  point  where  we  land  is  said  to  be  the  spot  where  Moses 
Mas  found  in  the  buUrush.es.  The  Nilorneter  is  an  instru- 
ment for  measuring  the  depth  of  the  Nile.  It  consists  of  a 
square  tank  connected  with  the  river  by  a  narrow  canal. 
The  sides  of  the  tank  are  marked  off  into  divisions,  and  from 
the  height  of  the  water  in  the  tank  at  any  time  an  estimate 
is  made  of  the  average  depth  of  water  in  the  river  at  that 
particular  season. 

Leaving  the  Nilorneter,  my  guide  leads  me  through  a  laby- 
rinth of  narrow,  dirty  streets,  and,  having  at  last  arrived  at 
the  end  of  a  particularly  unclean  alley,  we  dismount  and 
make  our  way  into  a  curious  and  very  old  Catholic  church, 
full  of  ancient  paintings,  and  containing  also  a  most  interest- 
ing old  Bible.  Having  examined  this  place,  we  retrace  our 
steps  and  I  return  to  the  hotel  for  lunch.  I  spend  the  after- 
noon in  wandering  through  the  bazaars,  where  the  ever- 
changing  crowds  afford  me  continual  amusement. 

January  27.  —  No  news  from  F !    His  steamer  should 

have  arrived  at  Suez  two  days  ago. 

At  nine  o'clock  this  morning  I  set  out  with  two  other 
gentlemen  for  the  Pyramids.  The  Khedive  has  built  a  broad 
and  good  road  thither,  and  the  distance  —  about  ten  miles 
each  way  —  can  be  accomplished  in  one  of  the  numerous 
barouches  which  are  always  to  be  found  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  hotels.      The  road  is  shaded  with    trees,  and    passes  over 


502  DOTTIXGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


the  new  bridge  across  the  Nile  near  the  ferry  at  old  Cairo, 
a  neighborhood  thronged  at  all  hours  with  multitudes  of  men, 
women,  and  children,  camels  and  donkeys,  while  the  various 
groups  around  the  different  cafes  form  a  striking  picture. 

When  we  are  about  four  miles  from  our  destination,  our 
carriage  is  surrounded  by  squads  of  Arabs  of  all  ages  and 
heights,  who,  running  at  full  speed,  accompany  us  on  our 
way,  all  eager  to  help  us  ascend  the  Pyramids.  As  we  pro- 
ceed, the  number  of  our  self-appointed  menials  is  continually 
increased,  and,  finally,  we  descend  near  the  base  of  Cheops 
in  the  midst  of  a  swarming  army  of  desperate-looking  sons 
of  the  desert,  all  clamoring  loudly  for  the  wished-for  employ- 
ment. Having  arrived  at  the  foot  of  the  Great  Pyramid,  we 
are  obliged  to  parley  with  an  old  Arab  Sheik,  who  —  for 
what  reason  no  one  seems  to  know  —  enjoys  a  sort  of  royalty 
from  every  traveller  who  ascends  to  the  top.  Having  prom- 
ised the  Sheik  that  his  demands  shall  be  attended  to  on  our 
return  to  earth,  and  having  selected  four  of  the  frantic  mul- 
titude who  surround  us,  we  are  marched  in  triumphal  array 
towards  Cheops,  two  Arabs  in  front  dragging  each  of  us 
along,  while  two  more  follow  close  behind  in  readiness  to 
push  us  up  on  to  the  enormous  blocks  of  stone  of  which  the 
Pyramids  are  composed.  Mark  Twain  well  says,  that  each 
stone  "  is  as  large  as  a  dinner-table  " ;  and  it  actually  takes 
the  combined  exertions  of  the  four  Arabs,  pushing  and 
pulling,  to    get   the  visitor  to   the  top.      After  enduring  this 


UP    THE  BED   SEA    TO   CAIRO.  303 

torture  for  about  five  minutes,  I  am  so  completely  exhausted 
that  I  am  obliged  to  rest,  and  sinking  down  on  to  a  broad 
stone,  I  look  down  at  my  companion,  an  old  gentleman  of 
over  fifty  years  of  age, —  for  my  other  comrade,  having  ascended 
once  before,  utterly  refused  to  submit  to  the  pummelling 
again,  —  whom  I  see  toiling  bravely  up  from  stone  to  stone, 
pausing  at  frequent  intervals  to  rest.  My  drooping  spirits 
having  been  revived  by  a  few  swallows  of  water  admin- 
istered by  a  small  boy  who  accompanies  us  with  an  earthen 
bottle,  I  once  more  am  put  into  motion  by  my  attendant 
(Li  110ns,  who  haul  me  over  stone  after  stone,  chanting  at  the 
same  time  the  following  suggestive  chorus,  "Arab  very  good 
man  !  Arab  very  good  man ! "  As  I  am  too  weak  to  dispute 
this  at  once,  I  allow  them  to  remain  for  the  time  in  the  belief 
that  I  acquiesce  in  their  assertion.  At  last,  after  a  further  ten 
minutes'  work,  and  a  slight  rest,  I  surmount  the  topmost  stone, 
and  with  a  wild  whoop,  the  Arabs  set  me  down  on  the  summit. 
Tin's  is  a  flat  surface,  thirty-two  feet  square.  It  is  covered 
with  the  names  and  initials  of  travellers  from  all  parts  of 
the  world,  and  the  monogram  of  the  Prince  of  Wales  is  very 
conspicuous.  The  view  from  this  point  is  very  fine.  Directly 
in  front,  only  a  little  distance  off,  is  the  smaller  pyramid  of 
Cephrenes ;  near  by  is  the  Sphinx;  while  in  the  distance 
sh>tr]Ms  on  one  side,  t  lie  burning  sands  of  the  desert,  and  on 
the  other  tin-  fertile  valley  of  the  Xile. 

Eaving   surveyed    the    prospect   at   my  leisure,  I  begin    to 


304  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

wonder  why  the  old  gentleman  does  not  appear,  and,  going 
to  the  edge,  I  look  down  towards  the  base.  Far  below  me  I 
see  a  group  of  figures,  who  resemble  dwarfs,  slowly  descend- 
ing, while  one  in  the  middle,  with  a  long  white  rope  tied 
round  his  waist,  is  being  lowered  down  from  stone  to  stone 
by  the  others.  I  conclude  from  this  that  the  old  gentleman 
has  given  up  the  ascent  in  espair,  and,  indeed,  so  it  proves. 
While  standing  on  the  summit,  the  Arabs  beseech  me  to 
allow  them  to  run  down  the  Great  Pyramid  and  up  the  side 
of  Cephrenes,  —  a  feat  which  they  promise  to  accomplish  in  an 
incredibly  short  space  of  time  if  sufficient  inducement  is  offered. 
I  decline,  however,  and  express  a  wish  to  descend.  This  opera- 
tion is  far  less  arduous  than  the  ascent,  but  even  in  this  the 
assistance  of  the  Arabs  is  necessary.  Having  reached  the 
foot,  aching  in  every  bone,  I  signify  my  desire  to  enter  the 
pyramid  and  explore  the  inner  chamber  where  the  sarcoph- 
agus was  originally  deposited.  This  also  is  a  task  of  no 
slight  discomfort.  The  entrance  itself  is  only  between  four 
aud  five  feet  high ;  and  after  stooping  low  and  passing  in, 
I  find  a  series  of  worn  foot-holes,  by  which  I  descend  rapidly 
down  a  narrow  passage  one  hundred  and  seven  feet  long. 
This  passage  is  perfectly  dark,  but  the  guides  light  a  couple 
of  candles  (after  obtaining  a  promise  of  extra  backsheesh),  which 
serve  to  show  the  cavities  in  which  one  must  place  his  foot. 
Having  arrived  at  the  end  of  the  descent,  I  am  pushed  and 
pulled    by    the    Arabs  over   a  huge  bowlder  which  seems  to 


UP   THE  RED   SEA    TO   CAIRO.  305 

have  been  the  seal  to  the  inner  chamber,  and  from  here  an 
ascent  begins,  part  of  which  must  be  accomplished  on  hands 
and  knees.  At  last  I  find  myself  in  a  long  narrow  apartment, 
called  the  Great  Gallery.  Here  I  discover  the  old  gentleman, 
leaning  against  the  wall,  looking  very  faint,  and  fanning 
himself  with  his  hat,  and  surrounded  by  a  bevy  of  Arabs, 
who  are  taking  advantage  of  his  exhaustion  to  fiercely  de- 
mand backsheesh;  and  so  persistent  are  they,  that  the  old 
gentleman  is  obliged  to  give  them  something  to  make  them 
leave  him  for  a  few  moments  in  peace ;  and  on  my  arrival  I 
find  him  recklessly  dealing  out  shillings  to  the  rascals,  who 
receive  each  donation  with  a  whoop  of  fiendish  delight. 

Proceeding  a  little  farther,  I  reach  the  Queen's  Chamber, 
the  roof  of  which  is  composed  of  huge  blocks  which  have  been 
most  ingeniously  joined  together.  In  the  eastern  end  of  this 
room  is  a  niche,  where  the  stones  have  been  broken  by  Arabs 
in  search  of  treasure.  Returning  to  the  Great  Gallery  I  am 
shown  a  narrow,  funnel-shaped  passage  called  the  "Well.  This 
leads  down  to  another  chamber,  where  the  body  of  the  builder 
is  believed  to  have  been  originally  laid.  As  the  old  gentle- 
man wishes  to  get  into  the  outer  air  as  soon  as  possible,  and 
as  I  have  had  enough  crawling  for  one  day,  we  do  not  descend 
to  this  spot. 

Having  returned  to  our  carriage  we  come  to  a  financial  set- 
tlement  with  the  old  Sheik  and  his  minions,  and  after  much 
useless  conversation  at  last   make  matters  satisfactory.     We 


306  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

then  visit  the  Sphinx,  which  does  not  quite  answer  my  ex- 
pectations ;  and  after  spending  a  few  moments  inspecting  a 
ruined  tomb  near  by,  we  return  once  more  to  our  carriage, 
where  lunch  is  awaiting  us.  While  discussing  our  meal  we 
are  pressed  upon  from  all  sides  by  Arabs  who  offer  to  sell  us 
all  sorts  of  "antiquities"  (large  quantities  of  which  are  manu- 
factured in  England),  and  who  urge  us  also  to  allow  them  to 
"  run  up  the  Great  Pyramid  and  down  again  for  one  shilling," 
—  a  feat  which  they  promise  to  accomplish  in  eight  minutes  or 
forfeit  the  money.  As  we  hardly  believe  it  can  be  done  in 
this  time,  we  give  the  word  to  a  fine-looking,  athletic  fellow, 
and  off  he  starts.  It  is  wonderful  to  see  the  agility  with 
which  he  rises  from  stone  to  stone,  and  he  reaches  the  top, 
apparently  with  the  greatest  ease,  in  just  four  minutes.  His 
descent  is  as  rapidly  accomplished,  and  he  arrives  back  at 
our  carriage  in  seven  minutes  and  a  half  from  the  time  of  his 
start ! 

We  now  turn  our  horses  towards  Cairo,  and  after  retracing 
our  steps  for  some  time,  stop  near  the  banks  of  the  Nile  and 
leave  the  carriage  to  inspect  a  dahabcych,  or  Nile  boat,  in 
which  parties  ascend  the  river.  These  are  long  wide  crafts, 
fitted  up  with  some  degree  of  comfort ;  but  a  large  and  merry 
party  must  be  required  to  make  the  time  pass  pleasantly. 
Continuing  our  way  we  reach  the  hotel  in  time  for  dinner. 

January  28. —  Still  no  news  of  F ■.     It  is  probable  that 

his  steamer  has  been  detained  at  some  port  to  receive  extra 
cargo  or  passengers. 


UP    THE  RED   SEA    TO   CAIRO.  307 

I  go  to-day  to  the  Tombs  of  the  Mamelukes,  which  are  by 
no  means  equal  to  the  stately  marble  cenotaphs  of  the  old 
Indian  Rajas.  At  three  o'clock  I  pay  a  visit  to  the  temple  of 
the  Dancing  Dervishes.  Passing  up  a  narrow  alley  I  emerge 
into  a  small  court-yard,  on  one  side  of  which  is  an  insignifi- 
cant-looking building  with  a  small  door  at  one  end,  by  which 
my  guide  bids  me  enter.  I  find  myself  in  a  room  about  thirty 
feet  by  twenty,  with  a  gallery  running  round  the  walls,  part 
of  which,  separated  and  covered  by  a  wooden  lattice-work 
screen,  is  devoted  to  any  ladies  of  the  harems  who  may  wish 
to  observe  the  sacred  rites.  Nearly  the  whole  floor  of  the 
temple  is  enclosed  by  a  wooden  circular  railing,  inside  of  which 
are  standing  about  thirty  men  of  all  ages,  with  long  flowing 
garments,  shaved  heads,  and  curious  hats.  About  twenty-five 
spectators  from  the  world  at  large  are  standing  round  the  rail- 
ing, on  the  outside,  waiting  for  the  worship  to  begin. 

In  about  five  minutes  a  tall,  very  old  man  with  a  long  beard 
enters  the  room  from  a  side  door,  and  marches  slowly  into 
the  mystic  circle.  All  the  other  priests  remain  standing  till 
he  has  seated  himself  on  a  Turkish  rug  at  the  upper  end  of 
the  apartment.  As  soon  as  the  chief  priest  is  seated,  the  rest 
all  sit  down  around  him,  —  the  whole  assemblage  forming  a 
large  circle,  —  and  bowing  their  heads  low  over  their  laps 
they  remain  thus  motionless  for  nearly  five  minutes.  Finally 
the  chief  priest  rises,  and  making  one  solemn  bow  to  the 
Others,  walks  slowly  round  the  room,  all  the  rest  bending  low 


308  DOTTING S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

as  he  passes.  Having  completed  the  circuit  of  the  room,  the 
old  fellow  starts  on  another  round,  this  time  followed  by  all 
the  other  priests,  each  one  falling  into  line  as  the  procession 
passes  him.  When  the  chief  priest  has  once  more  reached 
his  rug,  he  leaves  the  others  to  proceed  without  him,  and  sit- 
ting down,  sinks  his  head  on  his  breast  and  relapses  into  deep 
meditation.  The  other  priests  walk  completely  round  the  room 
twice  more,  after  which  they  all  return  to  their  places  and 
stand  motionless  for  several  minutes.  At  last  the  priest  who 
is  on  the  right  of  the  patriarch  steps  forward,  makes  him  a 
low  bow,  and  crosses  over  to  his  opposite  neighbor,  to  whom 
he  performs  a  similar  obeisance.  He  then  stretches  both  arms 
straight  out  before  him  and  suddenly  begins  to  spin  round  and 
round,  his  long  petticoats  standing  out  like  a  bell  around  his 
feet.  Scarcely  is  he  well  under  weigh  when  the  priest  next 
in  order  goes  through  the  same  ceremonies,  and,  like  the  first, 
is  soon  twirling  round  and  round  with  extended  hands.  All 
the  priests,  likewise,  are  soon  in  motion,  with  the  exception 
of  the  patriarch,  whose  years  evidently  prevent  him  from  join- 
ing in  the  dizzy  whirl. 

After  witnessing  this  incessant  spinning  for  some  time,  and 
learning  from  my  guide  that  there  is  nothing  further  of  inter- 
est to  be  seen,  I  call  a  carriage  and  set  out  for  Heliopolis,  the 
ruins  of  the  ancient  On,  situated  about  seven  miles  from  the 
city.  On  the  way  we  pass  the  tomb  of  Malek  Adel,  the 
brother  of  Saladin.     Near  Heliopolis  a  very  old  sycamore-tree 


UP    THE  RED  SEA    TO   CAIRO.  309 

may  be  seen,  under  which  the  Holy  Family  are  said  to  have 
rested  on  their  flight  into  Egypt;  hut  this  legend  has  been 
pronounced  impossible  by  naturalists,  who  declare  that  the 
tree  is  only  two  hundred  years  old.  The  only  trace  of  Heli- 
opolis  is  a  solitary  obelisk,  sixty-two  feet  high,  covered  with 
curious  hieroglyphics. 

Jamtary  J9. — As  F has  not  yet  arrived,  and  as  there 

is  no  office  of  the  steamship  company  in  Cairo,  I  decide  to 
push  on  to  Alexandria  to  make  inquiries  of  the  agent.  Leav- 
ing Cairo,  therefore,  at  eight  o'clock  this  morning,  I  reach 
Alexandria,  distant  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  miles,  at  noon, 
and  go  to  Abbat's  Hotel. 


310  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

ALEXANDRIA    TO    FLORENCE. 

Alexandria.  —  Pompey's  Pillar.  —  Cleopatra's  Needle.  —  The  Cata- 
combs. —  Across  the  Mediterranean  to  Brindisi.  —  Arrival  at 
Florence. 

January  30.  —  Alexandria,  situated  on  very  low,  sandy 
land,  has  a  population  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand, 
nearly  one  half  of  whom  are  foreigners.  The  native  quarter 
of  the  city  consists  of  narrow,  dirty  streets,  lined  with  mul- 
titudes of  wretched  houses.  Near  the  shore  of  the  new  harbor, 
where  the  Europeans  dwell,  are  fine  large  warehouses,  hand- 
some residences,  hotels,  and  churches.  The  site  of  the  ancient 
Pharos  is  now  occupied  by  a  modern  lighthouse.  The  cele- 
brated library,  which  contained  seven  hundred  thousand  vol- 
umes, stood  near  the  present  British  consulate.  Cleopatra's 
Needle,  Pompey's  Pillar,  and  the  Catacombs  are  objects  of 
interest  for  the  traveller  of  to-day.  Here  St.  Mark  was 
martyred,  and  here,  too,  some  of  the  most  eminent  fathers  of 
the  Church  were  born. 

Soon  after  my  arrival  yesterday,  I  went  to  the  office  of 
the  Austrian  Lloyd  Steamship  Company  to  inquire  about  the 
vessel   on   which    F took   passage.     I   was   told   by  the 


ALEXANDRIA    TO  FLORENCE.  311 

agent  that  the  steamer  reached  Aden  two  days  late,  but  nothing 
has  been  heard  from  her  since  that  time.  She  is  therefore 
long  over-due  at  Suez.  In  conversation  last  evening  with 
an  Englishman  at  the  hotel,  I  was  assured  that  it  would  be 
foolish  to  set  out  for  the  Holy  Land  at  present,  as  the  rainy 
season  is  not  yet  over,  and  tent-life  would  be  unendurable. 
Moreover,  the  telegraph  reports  snow  and  rain  at  Constan- 
tinople; and  as  I  have  so  lately  come  from  the  tropics,  I 
dare  not  expose  myself  to  cold  weather.  In  short,  my  future 
movements  are  entirely  uncertain,  and  I  know  not  what  to 
decide. 

I  attend  the  English  Church  this  morning,  and  hear  a 
sermon  from  Bishop  Gobat  of  Jerusalem.  In  the  afternoon 
I  procure  a  donkey  and  a  guide,  and  set  out  for  Pompey's 
Pillar.  This  is  a  shaft  of  red  granite,  sixty-eight  feet  high, 
and  nine  feet  in  diameter  at  the  bottom.  Two  British  naval 
officers  and  an  English  lady  are  said  to  have  ascended  to 
the  top  by  means  of  a  strong  kite  and  a  succession  of  ropes, 
but  the  story  can  hardly  be  believed.  ^Vhy  the  pillar  bears 
Pompey's  name  has  never  been  determined.  From  here  may 
be  seen  Lake  Mareotis,  which  connects  the  Nile  with  the 
Mediterranean. 

I  now  proceed  to  Cleopatra's  Xeedle,  situated  near  the 
coast.  This  is  a  single  red  granite  block,  seventy  feet  high, 
and  seven  and  a  half  feet  wide  at  the  base.  Its  four  faces 
are    adorned    with    three    lines   of    hieroglyphics.     The    cen- 


312  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

tral  bears  the  name  of  Thothmo  III.  It  is  said  that  the 
lateral  lines  were  sculptured  in  the  time  of  Sesostris.  This 
pillar  is  one  of  four  erected  originally  at  Heliopolis,  and 
brought  hither  by  one  of  the  Caesars.  Another  is  now  in 
Paris;  and  a  third,  given  to  the  English,  has  not  yet  been 
removed,  but  is  lying  neglected  in  the  sand. 

January  31. —  I  call  this  morning  at  the  steamship  office. 

No   further   news    has   been   received   from   F 's  steamer. 

What  shall  I  do  ?  I  do  not  wish  to  stay  longer  in  this  city ; 
the  fleas  alone  are  sufficient  to  urge  my  departure.  I  am 
unable,  as  I  have  said,  to  visit  Palestine  or  Constantinople 
at  present.  I  decide,  therefore,  to  cross  over  to  Italy.  The 
steamship  Pcra  (which  carried  me  from  India)  has  been  delayed 
in  the  Suez  Canal,  but  is  to  leave  for  Brindisi  to-morrow, 
and  I  conclude  to  continue  my  journey  in  the  care  of  her 
good  captain.  I  leave  a  letter  for  F explaining  my  de- 
parture, and  urging  him  to  inform  me  promptly  of  his  arrival 
in  Egypt. 

Before  going  aboard  the  steamer,  I  visit  the  Catacombs, 
situated  about  three  miles  from  the  city.  Having  arrived  at 
my  destination,  I  descend  (accompanied  by  several  officious 
Arabs  with  pine-torches)  into  a  spacious  circular  chamber 
from  which  a  series  of  subterranean  galleries  extend  on  all 
sides  into  the  hill.  The  recesses  for  the  mummies  are  plainly 
to  be  seen,  but  the  mummies  themselves  have  been  removed. 

On  my  return  to   the    hotel  I  collect    my  luggage    and   go 


ALEXANDRIA    TO  FLORENCE.  313 

011  board  the  steamship  Pcra,  which  is  anchored  off  the 
town. 

Ft  bruary  1.  —  We  start  at  eight  o'clock  this  morning,  and 
are  soon  out  of  sight  of  land.  Among  the  passengers  are 
Lord  and  Lady  Francis  Cunningham,  Captain  Hoskioer  (from 
whom  I  parted  in  Calcutta),  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles 
Matthews. 

February  3.  —  We  run,  to-day,  close  to  the  island  of  Can- 
dia,  which  with  its  snow-capped  hills  looks  exceedingly 
picturesque.  Towards  evening  the  sea  becomes  very  rough, 
and  the  ship  tosses  about  incessantly.  A  cold  head  wind 
greatly  impedes  our  progress. 

Ft  bruary  J^.  —  At  daybreak  this  morning  the  flat  shores  of 
Italy  can  be  seen,  and  at  nine  o'clock  we  enter  the  harbor 
of  Brindisi,  the  ancient  Brundisium,  at  the  end  of  the  old 
Via  Appia.  The  modern  town  contains  about  twelve  thou- 
sand inhabitants.  At  half  past  one  I  leave  on  the  special 
express  for  Bologna,  where  I  must  change  cars  for  Florence, 
to  which  city  I  am  bound.  For  many  miles  the  railroad 
runs  parallel  to  the  blue  waters  of  the  sea.  Our  train  rushes 
past  groves  of  olive-trees,  and  through  picturesque  towns 
musical  with  chiming  bells,  with  ancient  monasteries  and  old 
castles  perched  on  the  topmost  crag  of  overhanging  hills. 
At  Foggia,  whore  we  stop  for  supper,  several  of  our  fellow- 
passengeTs  leave  us  to  branch  off  to  Rome  or  Naples.  We 
reach  Aucona  at   midnight. 


314 


DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 


February  5. — At  five  o'clock  this  morning  our  train  moves 
into  the  long  covered  station  at  Bologna,  where  I  alight  for 
breakfast.  At  seven  o'clock  I  am  again  on  the  road,  with 
seventy-one  miles  still  to  accomplish.  The  weather  is  cold 
and  disagreeable.  Flurries  of  snow  dash  against  the  car- 
windows,  and  swift  streams,  running  down  the  mountain-side, 
add  sharpness  to  the  air.  The  scenery  around  us  is  most 
beautiful,  but  long  tunnels  continually  break  the  view.  At 
last,  at  noon,  the  train  leaves  the  hills  and  moves  slowly  out 
on  to  a  plain.  A  fair  city  lies  before  us.  It  is  bella  Firenze 
with  its  Duomo,  its  Campanile,  and  its  slowly  flowing  Arno. 


ITALY   TO  FRANCE.  3*5 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

ITALY  TO  FRANCE. 

Florence.  —  Naples.  —  Rome.  —  Venice.  —  Milan.  —  Turin.  —  Arrival 

at  Paris. 

February  12.  —  For  a  week  I  have  wandered  about  this  in- 
teresting city,  ever  finding  fresh  delights  on  all  sides.  Edward 
Everett  says :  "  There  is  much  in  every  way  in  the  city  of 
Florence  to  excite  the  curiosity,  to  kindle  the  imagination, 
and  to  gratify  the  taste."  True  indeed.  The  Campanile,  the 
Duomo,  and  Santa  Croce;  the  Pitti  and  Uffizi  galleries,  with 
their  wonderful  paintings  and  sculpture;  the  curious  Palazzo 
Vecchio;  the  venerable  Ponte  Vecchio,  and  the  other  grace- 
ful bridges  that  span  the  Arno ;  the  quaint  houses  and  ever- 
varying  street  scenes,  —  all  afford  continual  amusement  and 
instruction.  In  the  afternoons  I  walk  slowly  along  by  the 
Arno,  and  watch  the  gay  crowds  hurrying  to  the  Cascine 
Promenade.  There  is  a  young  noble,  the  representative  of  a 
long  line  of  ancestors  whose  names  are  written  in  history, 
driving  a  splendid  equipage  at  full  speed.  Behind  him  fol- 
lows sedately  the  heavy  carriage  of  an  old  countess,  with 
the  family  crest  emblazoned  on  the  panel.  There  goes  an 
American    guiding    ten    horses    hitched    tandem  ;     while    on 


316  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

the  foot-path  in  front  of  me  are  senators,  officers,  and 
peasants. 

Later,  when  the  sun  is  nearly  out  of  sight,  I  walk  up  the 
hill  to  the  old  church  of  San  Miniato.  At  my  feet  are  the 
thickly  clustered  houses  of  Florence,  with  the  Arno  and  its 
bridges ;  in  the  distance  are  beautiful  hills  studded  with  mon- 
asteries  and  old  fortresses ;  afar  off,  the  snow-capped  Apen- 
nines shine  dazzlingly  forth  against  the  pure  blue  sky.  On 
my  way  back  I  pass  several  Dominican  monks  hurrying  along 
to  their  evening  service  at  a  neighboring  chapel,  whose  bell 
sounds  clearly  through  the  evening  air.  Below  in  the  city, 
I  stop  and  wait  for  a  few  minutes  with  uncovered  head,  while 
a  dead  man  is  carried  by  on  a  bier,  followed  by  a  long  pro- 
cession of  Brothers  of  Misericordia  with  their  long  black  cloaks 
and  masks.  A  peasant-girl,  closing  the  shutters  of  an  humble 
shop  near  by,  is  chanting,  half  unconsciously,  an  evening  hymn. 
The  gas-lamps  on  the  Lung'  Arno  form  glittering  lines  of  light. 
The  rattling  cabs  are  at  rest ;  while  the  drivers,  standing  near 
their  vehicles  on  the  street-corners,  are  giving  the  horses  their 
feed,  or  are  discussing  with  animated  gestures  the  latest  news 
from  the  Vatican,  or  the  last  action  of  the  Italian  senate.  A 
mantle  of  repose  has  descended  upon  the  city,  and  the  massive 
walls  of  its  ancient  palaces  are  covered  with  silence  and 
gloom. 

February  15. —  To-day  I  received  a  letter  from  F !     His 

ill-fated   steamer  has  at  last  reached  Suez.     In  regard   to   his 


ITALY   TO  FRANCE.  317 

voyage  he  says:  "I  have  not  yet  told  you  the  cause  of  our 
delay.  On  our  arrival  at  Aden  the  captain  found  orders  await- 
in-'  him  to  go  up  to  Jeddah  (in  the  Red  Sea)  and  take  aboard 
some  pilgrims  returning  from  the  feasts  at  Mecca.  So  up  to 
Jeddah  we  went  and  stopped  there  a  day,  and  took  five  hun- 
dred of  these  creatures  on  our  deck.  You  may  imagine  that 
there  was  not  very  much  room  for  the  first-class  passengers 
to  walk  about ;  and  when  a  storm  came  on,  and  the  forward 
part  of  the  deck  was  almost  constantly  under  water,  the 
wretches  had  to  he  moved  aft,  and  then  the  captain's  bridge 
was  the  only  thing  left  to  us  for  two  days.  In  addition  to 
this,  on  account  of  having  pilgrims  on  board,  we  were  obliged 
to  go  into  quarantine  at  a  small  town  called  Wedge  (about 
two    hundred  miles  from  Suez),  and  there  we  stayed  for  four 

days We  really  ran  a  great  risk ;    for  although  we  had 

no  cholera,  we  had  small-pox  on  board We  were  allowed 

to  leave  on  the  morning   of  the   fourth  day."     F is  now 

making  preparations  to  start  up  the  Kile,  and  it  is  doubtful 
if  I  rejoin  him. 

March  .!.  —  I  leave  Florence  at  half  past  seven  this  morn- 
ing lor  Naples. 

March  -J.  —  I  reach  Naples  at  daybreak,  this  morning.  I 
am  unable  to  obtain  accommodation  at  the  Tramontana  Hotel 
(well  situated  on  high  ground  ,  but  I  am  received  near  by  at 
the  Nobile,  a  new  hotel.  Here  I  find  two  college  friends, 
('•.  W  ,  of  Boston,  and  W.  C.  S.,  of  Brooklyn.     They  arrived 


318  DOTTING S  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

last  evening,  and  we  agree  to  explore  the  neighborhood  to- 
gether. After  breakfast  we  set  out.  We  visit  Baias,  Pozzuoli, 
the  villas  of  Caesar  and  Cicero,  old  Boman  temples,  Mount 
Solfatara,  the  Baths  of  Nero,  Lake  A  vermis,  and  the  Cavern 
of  the  Sibyl.  In  an  old  ruined  temple  we  witness  the  taran- 
tula dance.     On  our  way  back  we  stop  at  Virgil's  tomb. 

March  If,.  —  We  set  out  this  morning  for  Pompeii  and  Cas- 
tellamare.  Leaving  the  railroad  at  Torre  Annunziata  we  visit 
Pompeii,  where  we  remain  till  afternoon.  At  four  o'clock  we 
continue  our  way,  and  reach  Castellamare  at  sunset.  The  Qui- 
sisana  Hotel,  situated  on  a  high  hill  overlooking  the  town,  is 
a  healthy  and  comfortable  residence. 

March  5.  —  We  drive,  this  morning,  to  Sorrento  on  the  fine 
road  which  runs  along  the  bluffs  close  to  the  sea.  The  view  on 
all  sides  is  superb.  On  our  arrival  at  Sorrento  we  find  it  is  use- 
less to  embark  for  Capri,  for  a  fog  is  rolling  in  from  the  sea.  We 
explore  the  town  and  return  to  Castellamare  in  the  afternoon. 

March  6.  —  We  spend  the  day  in  the  Musuem  at  Naples. 

March  S. — Yesterday  my  friends  embarked  for  Athens  and 
Constantinople.*  They  urged  me  to  accompany  them,  but  I 
have  had  enough  of  the  sea  fur  the  present.  I  leave,  to-day, 
for  Rome.  With  Naples  and  her  environs  I  am  charmed. 
The  inhabitants   of  Southern   Italy  are  more  interesting  than 


*  As  they  were  returning  to  Italy,  some  weeks  afterwards,  their  steamer 
collided  with  an  English  steamer  and  sank  immediately.  My  friends,  how- 
ever,  were  saved. 


ITALY  TO  FRANCE.  319 

their  fellow-countrymen  of  the  North.  Here  one  sees  more 
picturesque  costumes  and  more  beautiful  faces.  The  laughter 
and  animation  of  the  people  accords  well  with  the  blue  skies 
and  the  bright  sunlight.  I  leave  Naples  at  half  past  two,  and 
reach  Rome  at  8  P.  M. 

March  13.  —  Modern  fashion  makes  of  Rome  in  the  winter 
season  a  cosmopolitan  dwelling-place,  a  gay  city,  whose  im- 
mense hotels  afford  shelter  for  the  multitudes  who  meet  each 
other  at  balls  and  parties,  and  who  visit,  en  passant,  the  rich 
antiquities  around  them. 

Stand  in  the  centre  of  the  Forum ;  before  you  are  two 
great  establishments  whose  walls  are  but  a  stone' s-throw  from 
the  historic  ground.  Along  the  neighboring  street  roll  hand- 
some  equipages  with  liveried  footmen.  Thus  surrounded,  it  is 
hard  to  repeople  this  spot  in  imagination,  —  to  recall  the  sena- 
tors hurrying  over  this  very  pavement  to  the  senate-house; 
the  consuls  with  their  attendants;  and  the  multitudes  who 
once  stood  in  this  very  place  listening  to  the  wonderful  elo- 
quence of  Cicero.  Never  have  I  seen  a  city  of  the  past  suf- 
fering such  continual  transformations  from  the  hand  of  the 
inexorable  present 

I  have  visited  the  chief  objects  of  interest  in  the  city.  I 
continue  my  way  northward  to-morrow.  Keturning  to  my 
hotel  I  pass  tin'  church  of  the  Capuchin  monks.  I  enter,  and, 
accompanied  by  one  of  the  brothers,  I  descend  in  the  vaults 
beneath,  filled  with   a  ghastly  assemblage.     Here  are  ranged 


320  DOTTINGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

the  skeletons  of  brothers  long  dead.  Wrapped  in  the  robes 
of  their  order,  with  their  cowls  drawn  over  their  grinning 
skulls,  and  their  bony  fingers  clutching  their  rosaries,  they 
stand  as  hideous  sureties  to  the  monks  of  death's  never-failing 
memory.  Around  the  walls  are  patterns  formed  of  bones. 
"  Shall  you  be  placed  here  when  you  die  ? "  asks  another 
visitor  of  our  conductor.  "  Yes,"  he  replies  stolidly  (and  point- 
ing among  the  horrible  group),  "  we  shall  all  lie  there." 

March  1^.  —  Leaving  Rome  this  morning  at  ten  o'clock,  I 
reach  Florence  at  seven. 

March  16.  —  I  continue  my  journey  and  reach  Venice  at 
5  P.  M.  The  cars  leave  me  on  the  brink  of  a  broad  canal,  in 
which  many  long,  narrow,  black  gondolas  are  hurrying  up  and 
down,  while  a  score  lie  close  to  the  station  waiting,  like  so 
many  cabs,  to  convey  passengers  and  their  luggage  to  the 
different  hotels.  I  enter  one,  and  in  a  minute  more  I  am  in 
the  middle  of  the  Grand  Canal,  skimming  along  with  the 
most  delicious  sensation  of  ease  that  can  be  imagined.  Soon 
we  turn  off  into  another  "street,"  and,  moving  almost  on  a 
level  with  the  lower  stories  of  the  houses,  draw  up  at  last 
by  the  broad  stone  steps  reaching  from  the  hotel  door  into 
the  water.  It  is  astonishing  how  still  the  city  is.  There  are 
of  course  no  horses  or  carts,  and  the  only  sound  is  the  mo- 
notonous "swish"  of  the  gondoliers'  paddles,  accompanied 
from  time  to  time  by  warning  shouts  as  the  sharp  prows 
turn  suddenly  round  the  corner  of  an  old  palace. 


ITALY   TO  FRANCE.  32 1 

Soon  after  dinner  I  step  from  the  kail  of  the  hotel  into  a 
gondola,  and  am  soon  deposited  at  the  foot  of  the  steps  lead- 
ing to  the  Teatro  Fenice,  and  in  a  moment  more  I  am  on 
the  floor  of  one  of  the  largest  theatres  in  Italy.  The  opera 
is  "Hamlet";  the  audience  is  numerous,  well  dressed,  appre- 
ciative, and  critical. 

March  17. —  Having  obtained  an  intelligent  guide,  I  spend 
the  day  in  visiting  the  well-known  points  of  interest  in  the 
city.  I  wander  over  the  Piazza  S.  Marco  and  the  Doge's 
palace ;  I  pause  in  the  great  square,  and  see  the  pigeons 
coming  in  myriads  to  be  fed  at  a  window,  and  in  the  square 
itself;  then  I  proceed  to  the  mosaic  manufactory,  stopping 
on  the  way  at  the  church  of  Santa  Maria  Gloriosa  di  Frari. 
From  here  we  go  to  the  palace  of  the  present  Prince  Jova- 
nelli,  after  which  I  visit  the  churches  of  Gli  Scalzi  (the  bare- 
footed Carmelites)  and  Santa  Maria  della  Salute.  Finally  I 
ascend  to  the  chamber  at  the  top  of  the  Campanile,  whence 
a  grand  view  can  be  obtained  of  this  wonderful  water-city. 

There  is  something  about  Venice,  with  its  old  palaces,  its 
canals  and  gondolas,  its  stillness,  —  almost  intense,  —  that 
makes  it  seem  truly  like  a  city  of  the  past ;  modern  fashion 
has  not  yet  —  to  outward  appearance  —  invaded  it,  and  swept 
away,  as  from  Rome,  the  mysterious  atmosphere  of  antiquity. 

Ma nli  is.  —  I  leave  Venice  at  eight  o'clock  this  morning, 
and  reach  Milan  at  5  p.  m.  The  new  Hotel  Confortable  is  a 
credit  to  its  name. 


322  DOTTING S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

March  10. —  To-day  is  Sunday,  and  I  visit  the  great  Cathe- 
dral, —  immense,  beautiful,  impressive.  As  I  stand  in  a  dis- 
tant corner,  under  a  magnificent  stained-glass  window,  a 
procession  of  priests  and  choir-boys  is  marching  slowly  round 
near  the  high  altar,  chanting  a  solemn  Lenten  miserere.  I 
cannot  see  the  singers,  but  the  clear  voices  (without  organ 
accompaniment),  the  interior  dimness  of  the  Cathedral,  relieved 
only  by  the  soft  light  admitted  by  colored  windows,  and  the 
various  groups  of  peasants  bowed  low  before  the  different 
shrines,  —  together  produce  in  my  mind  a  feeling  of  perfect 
calmnesss  and  awe.  From  the  Cathedral  I  proceed  to  the  old 
Dominican  Priory  (used  by  the  Austrians,  at  one  time,  as  a 
stable),  where  is  Leonardo  da  Vinci's  "Last  Supper." 

Leaving  Milan  at  4  p.  M.,  I  arrive  at  Turin  at  half  past 
eight. 

March  20.  —  Continuing  my  journey,  I  leave  Turin  at 
9  A.  M.  The  cars  are  crowded,  and  when  we  arrive  at 
Modena,  and  change  into  others,  the  accommodation  is  cpiite 
insufficient,  and  we  are  packed  in  like  bales  of  goods. 

March  21.  —  Passing  through  the  Mont  Cenis  Tunnel,  we 
reach  Paris  at  eight  o'clock  this  morning. 


PARIS,  LONDON,  AND  BOSTON.  323 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

PARIS,  LONDON,  AND  BOSTON. 

Notes  on  Paris  and  the  French.  —  Arrival  in  London. — Embarkation 
at  LivEurooL.  —  The  Cunard  Steamship  Eussia.  —  New  York  to 
Boston. 

April  21.  —  I  have  been  living  for  a  month  in  a  French 
family  near  the  Arc  de  Triomphe.  I  have  improved  my 
knowledge  of  the  language,  and  have  obtained  a  little  insight 
into  the  life  of  these  remarkable  people.  How  different  are 
their  manners  and  customs  from  our  own !  Small  matters  of  . 
frequent  occurrence  in  America  are  not  comma,  il  faut  here; 
yet  these,  I  think,  are  more  than  overbalanced  by  abomina- 
tions which  would  not  be  permitted  for  a  day  in  our  coun- 
try. The  excessive  politeness  of  the  multitude  is  only  on 
the  surface,  and  these  courtly  manners  are  often  far  more 
deceptive  and  dangerous  than  the  disagreeable  but  honest 
brusqueness  of  a  Xew  England  farmer.  The  moral  sense  of 
the  people  is  strangely  distorted.  Sin  is  called  by  another 
name,  and  vice  is  concealed  under  such  apparenl  refinement, 
that  In-  who  applies  a  harsh  term  to  it  is  deemed  a  boor. 

The  family  in  which  I  have  been  living,  however,  is  com- 
posed  of   people    who   are   highly    cultured    and    thoroughly 


324  DOTTING S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

agreeable ;  and  yet,  withal,  their  ways  are  not  ours.  I  have 
heard  and  read  much  about  the  French  boys.  I  witnessed 
the  other  day  in  this  family  an  occurrence  which  testifies 
well  to  at  least  one  little  representative  of  the  nation. 

Edmond  is  a  boy  of  seven  years  of  age.  Several  weeks 
ago  I  promised  him  that  he  should  accompany  me  some 
evening  to  the  American  circus.  Since  that  time  he  has  had 
it  continually  before  his  mind,  and  all  day  yesterday  (the  time 
finally  agreed  upon)  he  was  in  a  state  of  the  most  intense 
excitement.  Now,  Edmond's  father  is  a  physician ;  and  when 
we  sat  down  to  dinner  last  evening,  he  told  his  wife  in 
German  (which  Edmond  does  not  understand)  that  he  could 
not  allow  his  son  to  expose  himself  to  a  cold  fog,  which  had 
spread  itself  over  the  city.  How  to  break  this  doleful  news 
to  his  little  boy  he  could  not  determine ;  he  knew  that  it 
would  almost  break  the  child's  heart,  for  he  had  looked  for- 
ward to  the  entertainment  for  weeks.  For  his  own  sake, 
however,  something  must  be  said  to  him  at  once.  Instead 
of  telling  him  bluntly  (as  some  parents  do)  that  he  could 
not  go,  and  assigning  no  reason  therefor,  he  called  the  child 
from  the  dinner-table  to  the  piazza  outside.  The  rest  of  us 
remained  in  silence,  awaiting  the  result  of  the  conversation. 
The  father  was  evidently  explaining  his  reasons  to  his  son. 
The  firm  low  tones  of  the  one  contrasted  with  the  tremulous 
but  respectful  inquiries  of  the  other.  At  last  the  father 
finished,  leaving  the  decision  of  the  matter  in  his  son's  hands. 


PARIS,   LONDON,  AXD  BOSTON.  325 

Together  they  returned  to  the  dining-room.  The  little  hoy's 
lip  was  trembling,  hut  his  teeth  were  firmly  shut  together. 
He  was  making  a  manly  effort  to  appear  calm.  There  was 
silence  for  a  minute  ;  then  the  mother  spoke  :  "  Have  you 
told  Edmond  why  you  do  not  wisli  him  to  go  ?  "  "  Yes,"  re- 
plied her  husband ;  "  and  what  do  you  decide,  my  child  ? 
Will  you  give  this  up  and  go  some  other  time  ? "  For  a 
moment  he  hesitated.  Then  brushing  the  tears  from  his  eyes 
he  answered  in  a  low  despairing  tone,  "  Oui,  mama."  Upon 
this  the  old  grandfather  speaks:  " Man  enfant,"  he  says,  "vows 
avcz  Men  fait,  et  je  vous  donnerai  tin  franc  pour  voire  petit 
porte-monnaie."  "I  will  add  one,  too,  my  child,"  says  the 
lather ;  and  I  also  join  in  the  reward.  The  boy  takes  the 
money  and  puts  it  in  his  little  purse.  Even  then,  however, 
the  remembrance  of  the  lost  circus  causes  his  eyes  to  fill 
with  tears;  but  turning  quickly  to  us,  he  says,  " Merci  grand- 
papa, merci  papa,  merci  monsieur"  (to  me);  then  holding  his 
purse  up  to  his  mother,  lie  cries  out,  "  Regardez,  mama,  re- 
gardez!"  His  disappointment  is  forgotten,  and  his  present 
pleasure  compensates  him  for  his  pain. 

Paris  is  covered  with  the  exquisite  beauty  of  spring.  The 
Bkiea  overhead  are  deep  blue,  tin-  sunlight  pours  over  every- 
thing, and  the  streets  are  thronged  with  gay  promenaders 
ami  handsome  equipages.  All  the  world  goes  to  the  Bois  in 
tip-  afternoons,  and  the  differenl  theatres  offer  most  varied 
entertainments  lor  the  evenings.     The  caf's  are  crowded,  and 


326  DOTTIXGS  ROUND   THE   CIRCLE. 

the  Boulevards  are  lined  with  little  tables  where  people  sit 
and  drink  coffee,  and  discuss  the  news  of  the  day. 

There  is  something  about  this  Paris  life  which  is  weari- 
some. The  whole  place  seems  given  up  to  pleasure,  and  the 
goddess  of  Gayety  perpetually  rules  supreme. 

May  8.  —  I  leave  Paris  at  8  p.  M.  for  London  via  Calais 
and  Dover. 

May  17. —  I  have  been  constantly  occupied  since  my  ar- 
rival in  visiting  the  well-known  objects  of  interest  in  the 
city.  To-day  I  witnessed  a  debate  in  the  House  of  Com- 
mons. Calling  on  Mr.  Eussell  Sturgis,  I  was  introduced  by 
him  to  Mr.  Turkman  Hodgson,  M.  P.,  who  kindly  gave  me 
his  card,  which  admitted  me  to  the  lobby,  where  Mr.  Hodgson 
met  me,  and  conducted  me  to  the  gallery.  I  was  astonished 
to  see  the  members  sitting  with  their  hats  on ;  but  the 
speakers  were  attentively  listened  to,  and  the  quiet  and 
decorum  that  prevailed  was  a  contrast  to  the  confusion  that 
one  often  finds  in  the  House  of  Pepresentatives  at  Washington. 

May  10.  —  Leaving  London  at  ten  o'clock  this  morning,  I 
reach  Liverpool  at  1  P.  M. 

May  20.  —  The  Cunard  steamship  Russia  is  advertised  to 
sail  at  noon,  and  passengers  are  requested  to  be  on  board 
the  steam-tender  with  their  baggage  at  ten  o'clock.  Leaving 
the  Adelphi  Hotel  shortly  before  that  hour,  I  find  many 
passengers  and  much  baggage  already  on  the  little  steamer, 
waiting  to  be  conveyed  tu  the  larger  vessel,  which  is  anchored 


PARIS,  LONDON,  AND  BOSTON.  Z2"J 

off  the  city.  At  ten  o'clock  we  leave  the  wharf,  and  are 
soon  alongside  of  the  great  ocean  steamer.  Now  the  con- 
fusion begins.  The  passengers  pour  over  the  ship's  side  in 
haste,  with  bags  and  bundles  in  their  hands,  and  rush  pre- 
cipitately to  the  cabin  to  find  their  state-rooms.  The  sailors 
from  the  large  steamer  descend  into  the  tender,  and,  grasping 
the  passenger's  trunks,  carry  them  to  the  deck  of  the  Russia, 
and  toss  them  down  in  a  heap,  with  a  carelessness  that 
would  put  to  shame  an  American  baggage-smasher.  A  very 
expensive  gun  which  I  carried  on  board  in  a  case  I  found 
lying  underneath  a  heavy  trunk,  which  had  been  thrown 
upon  it  by  some  thoughtless  seaman.  At  last  we  are  under 
way,  and  a  comparative  amount  of  order  is  established. 

May  21.  —  We  reach  Queenstown  at  nine  o'clock  this 
morning,  and  remain  off  the  town  till  1  P.  M.  Having  re- 
ceived the  late  mails  and  a  few  passengers,  we  continue  our 
voyage. 

May  24-. —  For  four  days  I  have  watched  with  delight  the 
wonderful  discipline  which  has  been  impressed  upon  the 
navigators  of  this  ship.  For  four  days  I  have  endured  with 
ever-increasing  disgust  the  disorder  that  reigns  in  the  dining- 
cabin  at  meal-times.  On  deck  the  sailors  perform  their 
duties  with  a  quiet  precision  which  assures  the  traveller  that 
the  company  fully  appreciate  the  responsibility  of  the  many 
human  beings  committed  to  their  care.  Captain  Cook  him- 
self is  perpetually  on  the  Match,  and  nothing  is  Left  undone 


328  DOTTING S  ROUND    THE   CIRCLE. 

that  human  efforts  can  accomplish.  The  interior  management 
of  the  ship  is,  as  I  have  said,  far  from  satisfactory.  We  have 
by  no  means  our  full  complement  of  passengers,  and  yet  at 
table  it  is  difficult  to  get  attention.  Besides  this,  the  food  — 
of  good  quality  itself — is  often  carelessly  prepared  and  un- 
inviting. The  waiters  hurry  hither  and  thither  noisily,  drop 
plates  and  dishes  with  loud  clatter,  and  do  not  seem  to  work 
with  any  system  or  under  any  directing  eye.  The  Chinese 
waiters  on  the  Pacific  Mail  Steamers,  governed  by  an  American 
head-steward,  put  these  English  assistants  to  shame.  The 
dinners,  instead  of  being  served  slowly  in  courses,  are  put  for 
the  most  part  upon  the  table  in  a  disorderly  heap,  and  a 
mere  pretence  is  made  of  pausing  between  the  fish,  meat,  and 
dessert.  .In  short,  the  company  has  obtained  such  a  just 
reputation  for  excellent  seamanship,  that  they  care  very  little 
about  the  comfort  of  passengers.  Any  complaints  made  in 
regard  to  the  minor  details  of  the  ship  are  answered  with  the 
remark  that  safety  is  placed  before  ease.  "  In  long  years  of 
navigation  on  the  dangerous  Atlantic,"  they  say,  "  we  have 
never  lost  a  passenger.  We  cannot  allow  considerations  of 
comfort  to  interfere  with  the  proper  care  of  life." 

It  seems  to  me  that  these  two  departments  are  by  no 
means  inconsistent  with  each  other.  In  all  my  travels  round 
the  world,  over  many  oceans  and  seas,  I  have  never  seen 
steamers  more  carefully  navigated  than  the  boats  of  the 
Cunard  Company ;  I  have  only  seen  their  system  equalled  in 


PARIS,  LONDON,   AND  BOSTON.  329 

one  case,  —  the  Pcra  of  the  Peninsula  and  Oriental  Company, 
commanded  by  Captain  Methven.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  I 
have  only  once  seen  their  equal  in  bad  table  management,  — 
on  the  boats  of  the  Netherlands  India  Company,  running  from 
Singapore  to  Java.  There  is  no  reason  why  the  excellent 
care  of  the  deck  should  be  the  only  recommendation  of  the 
Cunarders.  If  the  comfort  of  the  passengers  was  more  re- 
garded, these  steamers  would  be  the  patterns  of  the  world. 
As  it  is,  they  are  far  from  deserving  the  title. 

May  30.  —  We  are  in  sight  of  land  !  Early  this  morning 
America  was  seen  by  the  lookout.  At  one  o'clock  we  pass 
Sandy  Hook.  Continuing  our  way  we  see  beautiful  green 
fields,  and  pleasant-looking  houses  perched  on  the  neighbor- 
ing hills.  We  see  our  country's  flag  floating  over  buildings 
in  the  distant  city,  and  flying  from  the  countless  crafts  which 
pass  up  and  down  by  our  side.  At  5  p.  m.  we  reach  the 
dock,  and,  soon  after,  I  am  once  more  in  my  native  land. 

June  5.  —  Having  visited  the  Exposition  at  Philadelphia,  I 
leave  New  York  this  morning  at  ten  o'clock  for  Boston.  The 
journey  is  quickly  accomplished.  At  5.40  the  train  moves 
slowly  into  the  station,  and  comes  to  a  stand-still.  I  have 
travelled  around  the  world,  and,  thank  God,  have  reached  my 
home  in  safety. 

THE  END. 


